The Curious and The Devious
by imthepunchlord
Summary: Adrien was supposed to hate dragons, it was expected. But he could not help but be fascinated with them. When he encounters the infamous Ladybug stealing from his home, a whole new world opened up for him.
1. Chapter 1

For many dragons, curiosity was the greatest cause of death, especially to the inexperienced youth. Curiosity was harsh and cruel, and rarely was it rewarding.

And yet, despite this, dragons, the most feared beasts in the world, could not help themselves. Something caught their attention, they had to explore, had to see what it was. That rare chance that this curiosity could be rewarding was just too tempting.

Still this young changewing followed her curiosity with caution. Her nostrils were full with the smell of smoke and burning flesh, of burning wood and melting metal. She knows she was drawing near a human territory. That humans feared dragons, just as they feared them; going near humans was a deadly risk.

And yet, she had to know.

Why the smoke?

Why the fire?

Why the smells?

Was it another dragon?

Did one attack the human territory?

The thought made the young changewing nervous.

If a new dragon successfully ran the humans away, it'd want a big territory, and it wouldn't want to share. And she didn't have a pride to help her.

The changewing was on her own.

And rivals wouldn't risk her presence.

Rivals may not even let her escape with her life.

Especially with her being alone.

So this, this was just a peek, or so was her way of thinking. She'll be hidden, she'll be fast.

She'll see what caused this thick smell of smoke, see if she should go ahead and flee and find a new home.

This curiosity was a precaution.

She intended to live past it.

Peeking out past the trees to the humans' homes below nestled on the cove, the dragon blinked her large blue eyes in surprise, raising her pinkish red head high, unafraid of being seen.

There was nothing to fear.

The humans' homes were awash of thick black smoke and angry orange fire. And sniffing the air, she could tell this wasn't a dragon's work.

A clicking rumble bubbled out of her as she peered down, shuffling on her claws, indecisive.

Logically, she should go.

There was no dragon to threaten her.

And if there were surviving humans, she could easily avoid them.

She should just go back to her hidden niche and hide away. Survive like all other dragons should.

And yet…

Crouching low to the ground, the pinkish red changewing with rare black spots crept towards the smoky village, cautiously camouflaging herself, still very curious.

Smoke curled around her long body as she slid through it. She kicked up ash with every step she took, ruining her camouflage. Her blue eyes slid quickly over any dark lumps on the ground, lumps she instinctively knew were human. She kept her eyes to the homes that humans nested in. Homes that were round and squared, with an entry way that was almost too small for her. Like everything else, these homes were dark, charred black by fire. By this attack. Some homes still glowed orange, embers refusing to die.

She chirped nervously, blue eyes sliding about.

She still didn't understand why this happened. Why did the human territory burn?

She didn't smell any dragons here, and the only other that could make fire were humans.

Did humans attack then?

She knows humans fight each other just as dragons do.

She's seem them hiss, snarl, and roar to each other. She's seem them get violent too.

So if not a dragon attack, this had to be a human one.

The thought had her creeping back, nervous.

What if those humans were still here?

And she was a young changewing on her own…

Spooked by the possibilities, she turned to flee, only to knock her head into one of the burning, ashen homes. She jerked back, surprised. Her blue eyes locked onto a figure huddled up by the door, nearly hidden.

A very small human.

Smallest she's ever seen.

Small and thin, with clothes burnt through, and sizzling pink spots on her bare arms.

Undeniably intrigued and forgetting the possible danger around her, the young dragon crouched close, nostrils twitching as she took a sniff of the small human by the door.

The changewing caught a very sweet smell under all the smoke and ash. A smell she liked. A floral smell. Like flowers. The changewing liked flowers. And something else something sweet.

Clicking to herself, she slipped her head through the frame, jumping when her horns bounced off the weak wood. The nest shuddered, but didn't move outside that. Eyeing it warily, she laid her jaw on the human, feeling it move as it breathed, feeling the pound of a heartbeat, the flow of blood through her.

This human was still alive.

And alone.

Prideless.

A lot like the changewing was.

The dragon gave a contemplative rumble, frowning.

She found a live, small human, alone, unconscious, and defenseless.

Most dragons would kill the human, or leave the human be, leave it to the harsh judgement of life to decide the human's fate.

She should do the latter.

Leave the human be, leave the human to survive on its own, like everything else.

It die, it die.

That was life.

And yet… the small body felt so weak under her jaw. Were all humans so soft and helpless? There was no protection on this human at all. No hard scales, no claws or fangs or wings or horns.

No wonder humans feared so much.

They were so soft.

So defenseless.

Maybe that's why they wanted to fight everything. To prove that they weren't.

And this one was so small, it had to be a child.

A child likely on its own, prideless.

An instinctive spark went through the dragon, her blue eyes widening.

They didn't have to be.

Rumbling to herself, the dragon slid the human along the ashen floor when she withdrew from the human nest. Eyeing the small human child, she nudged them, feeling a soft, round cheek beneath the changewing's scaly lips, and the delicate bone framing the cheek. Such a soft little being. It was almost frightful how easily broken this could be.

Clicking, the dragon stood, wrapping her dark claws around the little human. This was a likely bad idea on the dragon's part, but… it felt wrong to leave the human alone.

But, she didn't like to be alone.

She shouldn't be alone.

And neither should humans, from what the changewing observed.

This could work for both of them.

And she's always been curious about humans.

And some dragons have gurgled tales of human and dragon partnerships, living in peace with one another.

This wasn't impossible.

And, there was nothing left for the human here. The dragon looked about. She couldn't see anything the human may desire.

It was probably best to leave.

Spreading her great wings, the dragon flapped heavily, sending ash and smoke and embers flying as she rose up with a little human in her claws.

* * *

Marinette woke slowly, her body throbbing and sore. There was a stinging itch on her arms, shoulders, and legs. And her throat was painfully dry.

She coughed, body hunching up as she heaved. She laid still with a pained groan.

Blinking heavily, Marinette squinted, brow furrowed when she didn't recognize the area.

Summer green trees loomed over her, soft and lush with life. The echo of singing birds filled the air, their shadows darting across the forest floor.

Frowning, her eyes glanced around. Her gaze skimmed over a small creek, over moss covered stones of all shapes and sizes, to the looming honey brown trees reaching for the bright blue sky above.

...What was she doing in the forest?

She didn't remember coming out here…

She…

She remembered…

Shouting…

The pound of scared and angry feet…

Hot, fire…

Marinette tensed.

Raiders.

Pirates.

She, she remembered an attack.

There was an attack!

Her home!

Her parents!

Marinette jerked up, nearly hitting her head on a low hanging roof above. She rushed out, stumbling as she ran out of the hollow in the ground. She intended to get back home, to see if anyone survived, to see if her parents made it.

Please, she thought, ignoring the harsh bite of sharp stones and sticks she brushed against in her rush.

Please let them be ok.

She just made it out when a series of clicks sounded out behind her.

Marinette froze.

She knows that noise.

It was a noise all children were taught to stay away from. To be careful of.

Heart pounding and adding to her nerves, she slowly looked back.

There, peering at her was a blue eyed, ruby pink and black spotted changewing.

One of the trickiest mysterious dragon breeds to ever come across.

This dragon spat acid, hypnotized, could disappear in a blink of an eye.

And it was right behind her…

The dragon tilts it's head at her, pupils huge as it rumbled out, a long forked tongue sliding out and tasting the air.

Or tasting her.

With a scared squeaking squeal, Marinette jumped up and tore off, almost tripping and ramming head first into a tree. She stopped herself just in time and hurried on.

She was oblivious to the befuddled dragon behind her, watching her tear off.

Marinette ran fast and far, tripping and stumbling as she went. She took a huge trip, ramming her arms along the forest floor.

Hissing under her breath, she sat up with a cringe, eyes stinging as tears watered. Biting her lips, she eyed her angry pink arms. Then jerked up, Marinette looked back, breathing hard and fast.

No dragon.

Or, so it seemed. Changewings can camouflage…

For a few seconds, she sat still, holding her breath and waiting.

Nothing moved.

No sound came.

It was just her.

She was ok.

Now that the dragon was behind her, her mind went back to her home.

Had to see for herself that her home was ok that everyone was fine. Just head to the cove. That's where home was. Just follow the smell of the sea and the listen for the dull rush of waves.

She only slowed when she caught the smell of smoke.

Her heart beats heavy and hard in her chest, her body queasy and shaky. She felt sick knowing what that smell could mean.

Please.

With stiff steps, she crept out to the thinning trees, looking down at what was once her home.

It, it was a mess of grey. Snow white ash covered the ground like a pale scar. The buildings that had been homes and businesses were charred lumps in that pasty scar. Grey smoke rolled off her village in waves. Even here, where she stood on top of the hill, she could still feel the heat of this attack.

It, her home, her parents, her friends, everyone was…

Her legs crumbled under her, her palms scraping along the grass, stopping her from sliding down to the smolder below.

It was gone.

Everything was gone.

She, it was only, it was only her…

Everything else was...

So caught up in staring out, feeling numb with shock and grief, she didn't hear the heavy steps of the approaching dragon behind.

Didn't feel the hot breath at her back.

She jumped, pitching forward slightly when she was nudged from behind by warm scales. She whipped around, eyes meeting the gaze of the long beast looming over her. The changewing clicked down at her, pupils large, head tilting.

Too hurt and broken, she slumped down, curling up on herself, uncaring it the dragon came at her. There was nothing she felt like doing right now.

With a rumble, the changewing moved and laid over, wrapping Marinette up in a cocoon of warmth, hiding her away from the world.

* * *

At sixteen, Adrien Agreste should be a legend among his village, just like his parents. And technically, he sort of was. Just… not the legend people expected.

He was the son of Gabriel the Cold, and Alecia the Elegant. He had received his father's poise and intellect, his mother's grace, beauty, and charm. He had his mother's skill of music and dance. He had her smile. His father's glare. He was well liked by the village of Pari, well sought for as well.

Sort of.

Kinda.

...To a certain point…

At this age where teens were starting to look for matches, he did not have the biggest, most appealing trait that many Vikings looked for.

It wasn't looks, but dragon fighting that was desirable.

And Adrien had not received either parents' skill with dragons. More specifically, he didn't have their interest in killing them. Or well, most Vikings' interest in killing them.

At fifteen, he was titled Adrien the Curious.

Those that didn't know him well had called him the Luckless.

And some rival villages went as far as to call him the Foolish, for some very understandable reasons.

But in his defense, he just couldn't quite help himself.

Curiosity was one of the traits he's gotten from his mother.

He just sadly got it for a poor choice of study.

Adrien stopped, watching a colorful blue deadly nadder raise it's tail high, spikes poised and ready to be fired. The nadder's pale ruby eyes were locked on him, set on throwing those spikes at the young Viking. Not that Adrien noticed, too caught up in noticing the unique coloration on that tail. There were ruby spots decorated over it, the spikes themselves also seemingly dipped pink and-

"Adrien get down!"

A hand grabbed his shoulder and pulled him down as the nadder slashed it's tail, sending those spikes flying to where he was just seconds ago.

"Did you see those Chlo?" Adrien asked, turning to look back at those spikes, thrown hard and fast enough to send cracks through the wooden wall behind them. He'd certainly be dead if those hit. He turned to the irritated blonde, famously known as Chloe the Fierce, his childhood friend. "Those had to be moving at a speed of-"

"What are you doing outside?" Chloe demanded, cutting him off.

"Oh," Adrien sheepishly rubbed the back of his head. "Uh, a terrible terror kinda got into the house, and I thought I could at least take care of that but…" the little purple dragon ran out and Adrien followed; but not only did he lose it in the chaos, he had gotten distracted by everything dragon he caught a glimpse of.

He couldn't help himself though!

These were fascinating creatures!

He was constantly noticing all these cool things about dragons.

Nadders had to set their feet just right before they throw spikes.

Terrible terrors were easily bribed.

Gronckles were easily distracted and naturally curious and playful and lazy.

And-

"Just get back inside," Chloe scolded, tiredly running a hand over her face, shooting a miffed look through loose bangs that hung over her face. She warned him with a dark frown, "If you get caught, I'm not covering for you."

"Yes Ma'am," he sighed, pushing a little rock away from him, watching it roll down the slope.

There was a snarl above and the two blonds sharply looked up. The nadder found them and had the head tilted, glaring down with one ruby eye. It's broad jaw opened with a hiss, wings spreading out and casting them in shadows.

It would've been really scary if this didn't happen every week.

Chloe reacted. Jumping up, she punched the nadder in the jaw. The dragon drew away with a surprised squawk, and Chloe pursued with a battle cry. The nadder jumped up with a cry, kicking it's claws out and trying to slash at her while it flapped away from the Viking.

Adrien took the chance to rolled away and got up to flee back to his home.

Preferably before his father saw him out in this. He'd be in so much trouble if he did.

With how easily distracted he got in his observations, he's been banned by the chief and his father from taking part in handling dragon raids. Largely for his own safety, and the peace of mind of the whole village, so not having to watch out for him during the raids.

Though personally, Adrien didn't think it was that bad.

Ok, yeah, he could've saved that barn if he wasn't caught up trying to figure out how a monstrous nightmare lit itself on fire and how those scales held the flames.

And maybe those ships if those gronkles didn't go rolling down.

And…

Well, yeah.

Adrien supposed he's messed up time to time...

Despite what Adrien may want to think, it was a grim truth that dragon fighting just wasn't for him.

It really was best if he just stayed in and waited those out.

But it was so unnerving to sit and listen to all the chaos happening outside, and he couldn't help. Or just do something at least.

But really, what could he do?

The smithy he almost burnt down.

He got too easily distracted for setting up traps, and he tried help planning them but making plans just wasn't his forte…

It really seemed like there was nothing he could do to help during raids and it was a fact that bothered him.

But, what could he do?

Dodging flames, large bodies, and weapons, Adrien worked his way home. The worse he got was a smudged of his clothes burnt away from a wild flare.

Sighing as the chaos continued to sound around him, Adrien stopped for a moment to watch it. Fire danced and glowed, making the form of dragons flicker in and out of view. Roars and shouts filled the air as bodies rushed about, trying to get at the other. It was a battle functioning well, without him.

Sighing, he turned and opened the door to the home he shared with his father and stepped in. Only to stop for a moment, listening intently.

There was a soft shuffle in his home, something moving around.

Something small, something light.

Adrien's eyes widened, pressing closer to the doorframe, looking around.

Another dragon had come into their home?

How rare.

Reaching down, he grabbed a stick his father kept by the door, and slowly, crept deeper into the room, searching for the dragon that had slipped in.

Adrien lifted the stick up when he spotted red scales, only to stop, surprised.

Those weren't the scales of a dragon.

Those were scales worn by a girl.

A girl he didn't know, wrapped up in a red cloak like thing with black spots dotted all over. A girl that was oblivious to him as she snooped through their things, lifting little knick knacks, some she put back, some she stashed in her bag at her side.

Adrien stared, his mind going blank, just so surprised by this.

Who was she?

Why was she in his home?!

Narrowing his eyes, Adrien lowered the stick, ready to swing it. He crept closer slowly, keeping his steps light and wary, trying to catch her by surprise.

It was quite a wonder what thief would come during dragon raids?

Especially to a Viking village.

And steal from the home of Gabriel the Cold?

That was a promise of pain.

He was raising the wood up, ready to strike this thief in the back of her head.

A sharp hiss cut through the air and the girl whipped around, startling Adrien.

Sky blue eyes, bright against a red mask, peered at him in surprise.

He stared back, locked on those eyes and this strange mask she wore that covered her face, sewn together by scales.

He heard the shuffle of claws of a near dragon coming closer and hurriedly moved to hit her.

She moved faster than Adrien. Before he could reach her, she grabbed a vase and threw it at him. Adrien darted out of the way, wincing as it fell and broke on the floor. He turned to the girl, watching her rush to the window. He ran after her, reaching for the end of that cloak. He got it, and tried to tug the girl back.

She surprised him by grounding her feet, and pulling against his hold with great strength. "Who are you?" he demanded, trying to get a better grip as she started to squirm against him.

He saw something shift on the wall outside and with a sharp tug, the girl reached out. In a flicker of seconds, the girl disappeared from sight and in surprise, Adrien's hand flew open and he stumbled back, gaping at his window where the girl used to be.

She disappeared.

In just a few seconds.

She was, she was just right there, he had her, and now she was...

How was that possible?

No one could just simply disappear!

Unless…

No. No way.

She, she was a myth.

Just, just a myth, a phantom ghosting around this coast of the kingdom. Sightings of her were mere wild claims.

But, Adrien had seen her. He had touched her. Had a broken vase to prove that she had been there. And she had disappeared right before his eyes.

Could that have been Ladybug….?


	2. Chapter 2

Ladybug was a very recent legend that started a few months ago along the coastal Viking villages.

A strange phantom that has been appearing, dressed in a similar fashion as the red beetle that came in the spring, sparking her name. She's been the talk of trade routes, people swearing they saw her in their homes, taking their things, and disappearing in a moments notice. She can be so fast and be gone in an instant, many wonder if she was actually there.

They do insist that they have items missing. Small things like a knife, cheese, baked goods, sewing items, and such. No real treasures ever taken. Just small things that were easily misplaced.

Doubters reasoned those items that were missing had to be simply misplaced. And that Ladybug was just the latest wild tale that was going around. The latest horror story to scare people from traveling at night, to encourage them to lock their homes.

There was nothing to suggest that Ladybug was real.

Adrien had thought so too when he had first heard the tale of Ladybug, the red phantom that shadowed this coast.

A thief dressed as a ladybug? Capable of disappearing in a moment's notice? Taking small forgettable things?

It didn't seem possible.

It seemed downright silly.

Why would anyone dress as a ladybug? Especially a thief? A thief that had no evident interest in jewels or treasures like most thieves should? It was just silly, this tale of Ladybug. And the claims of her disappearing into thin air!

Amusing.

He and Chloe would laugh any time they heard of Ladybug.

How could someone like that exist?

There was no way.

Or at least, so he had thought, till he saw her himself, stealing from his home.

And had disappeared right in front of him.

Right under his hand.

Ladybug was real.

It was a fact that kept repeating in his head.

She was real, an actual physical being.

And she had disappeared right in front of him.

She was a mystery, she intriguing, terrifying, and exciting.

And much like the dragons, Adrien found he could not help his curiosity. He had to know about Ladybug, had to learn how she did that disappearing act, why did she steal small things? What were her purposes? Her goals? Did she only come during dragon raids?

If so why?

Dropping down from a small ledge, Adrien's fur boots rattled the worn log he had jumped down. He looked up through the trees, looking past moss bark and scattered sunbeams, trying to find _anything_ unusual in this forest. With only the coast at their front, and a whole village between his home and sea; Adrien suspected that Ladybug had fled away into the closer woods.

Strategically, for a thief stealing from multiple villages, the forest was ideal. Most Vikings didn't go in with the wide range of dragons that have made their homes there. Most of these breeds were relatively small enough to easily working around the trees, making their presence all the harder to detect for a hunting party. And this forest was large enough to connect to all the villages along the coast.

Only thing Ladybug had to be aware of were the dragons here. Since her legend started a few months ago, Adrien had a fair guess that she's pretty familiar with how to get around these beasts.

Though it was a wonder how he could.

He had a shield and a baton with him, but how much help those would be depended on what dragon he came across.

And here, well, you never know. There were many breeds here, from all different classes. Shield and baton were one of the safest bets for him. Dragons reacted poorly to any sort of blade. He'd be less likely to be attacked with these items.

Though it'd be nice if he wasn't attacked at all.

Adrien sighed, eyeing the towering trees, trying to find anything that could suggest where the phantom thief could've gone.

But much like the stories, she moved like ghost, no trace of her to be found.

Though Adrien did play with the fact that he could've simply gone in the wrong direction. There were many paths in this forest. Ladybug could've gone anywhere. Be anywhere. She was one small human in one of the biggest forests in this area. She's a needle in a haystack. Near impossible to find.

He needed some way to get to her.

A sure fire way.

One that wouldn't leave him wandering aimlessly in the wildernes-

There was a hiss above.

Adrien stopped, looking up to see a familiar purple terror above him, glaring down with it's dark purple eyes. And around it's horn looked like a bracelet. A little red and black bracelet...

 _Ladybug._

This dragon had a connection to Ladybug.

Quirking a smile, Adrien called, "Hi little guy!"

Another hiss. This time the terror's light wings, almost white in color, spread out as it slammed it's dark claws down.

An aggressive move.

A threat to fire if he didn't move.

Moving quickly, Adrien brought out some jerky. The terrible terror went quiet, eyes locked on the slab of dried meat.

Adrien smiled. Terrors are easily bribed.

To add to it, Adrien held up the meat, waving it. "You hungry?"

The small dragon made a series of clicking chirps, it's nostrils flaring as it sniffed. Adrien watched as it's thin pupils grew large, the dragon's defense lowering. The dragon crawled down, stopping midway to sniff the air and eye him, before going down completely. It crept close to him, mouth open, a hungry gurgle bubbling past it's maw.

"That's it," Adrien eased, tempting the little dragon closer. "Maybe you can help me little guy. Do you know where Ladybug is?"

The terror stopped, tilting it's head as it eyed him. It made a chirping noise that sounded loosely like it was repeating Ladybug's name.

"Yes Ladybug," Adrien repeated excitedly, he waving the jerky, keeping the dragon's eyes locked on the meat. "You know where she is?"

The terror made a dragging, "Brrrrrrr," sound.

"I'll give you this if you guide me to Ladybug," Adrien promised with a slight song.

The small dragon rumbled, doing a little indecisive dance on it's claws, wings twitching. Then it gave a loud, growling chirp. Turning, it dashed away, ignoring Adrien's, "Hey!" behind it.

The terror stopped a ways, turning back to him and making a chirping call.

Beaming, Adrien hurried after the small dragon, adrenaline pumping through him.

This was it.

He was going to find Ladybug.

The first Viking to.

As he followed the terror, he spared fast glances at his surroundings, making note of every landmark they passed.

One of the larger trees were uprooted and had fallen to the ground, making a round wall of roots. Roots that had many eyes blink at him cautiously as he and the terror ran past. There was a small waterfall made of fallen rocks. An unnerving large old skeleton of what Adrien suspected to be a grapple grounder.

Suddenly the terror stopped, head up, looking very alert and alarmed. With a fearful sound, it turned and hurried down a crevice under a rock. Adrien stopped, frowning down at the little dragon. "Hey come on," he tried to tempt out, waving the jerky.

But the terror wouldn't come out. It just cowered under that came, shrinking down.

Adrien heard what the terror sensed.

There were heavy steps of an approaching dragon.

A very likely large dragon that wouldn't be easily swayed by jerky.

Adrien followed the small dragon's example, hurrying under that crevice and squeezing under it, wincing as his shield clunked against the roof loudly. He kept close enough to peer out and see what dragon this was.

One of the biggest monstrous nightmares he's ever seen prowled into view. It's scales were darker than night, with very faint purple stripes going along it's body, and it's eyes were an unnervingly bright green. The nightmare stopped, making an angry gurgle at it lifted it's snout, loudly sniffing the air and snorting.

Adrien tensed and pressed lower to the ground.

It smelled him.

With an angry rumble, the nightmare dipped it's snout to the ground, nostrils flaring as it sought the source of the human smell, creeping closer to the rock Adrien and the terror hid under. Heart pounding as he felt boiling hot breath blow into the crevice. The terror nervously press against him, Adrien acted quickly. Taking out the jerky, he tore off a chunk and threw it as far away from them as he could.

That maw lingered by the opening of the crevice, growling as lips curled up to show crooked teeth.

For a second, Adrien thought he was going to taste a nightmare's fire.

Only that dark maw moved away, going to that chunk of meat Adrien had tossed out. The nightmare easily licked up the small slab, rolling the dried meet up in it's mouth. Content, the nightmare moved on, heavy steps rattling the ground.

Adrien and the terror didn't creep out till they were sure they were safe from the large dragon. "That was close," Adrien commented, turning to the small dragon. Only to blink at the betrayed glare the terror gave him.

He held up the jerky, reassuring with a slight grumble, "There's plenty of jerky for you."

The terror gave an annoyed grumble, then stomped off, huffing and snapping it's jaws.

Rolling his eyes, Adrien got up and followed the beast. For a near half hour they prowled on till the terror stopped, plopped down, and turned to Adrien expectantly.

When he raised a brow at the dragon, the terror gave an argumentative chirp that sounded an awful like, "Food."

"No way," Adrien said, making sure the jerky was out of the dragon's reach. Pointing down to the dragon, Adrien stated, "The deal is you lead me to Ladybug, and then I give you this." He waved the jerky about, stressing the bargain.

The terror made a demanding whine, glaring at him as it's tail gave a light whack to the ground.

Sighing, Adrien moved past the dragon, declaring, "I guess I'll just keep this for myself…" he trailed as he pushed past some bushes, blinking at the clearing that was hidden behind them. A lived in clearing.

Adrien almost dropped the jerky in surprise.

Slowly, he crept in, looking over everything.

A large garden of herbs and flowers clustered around a sunny patch to the left.

There was a built stove set in the center, ash set on the bottom. Near it was a built shed, with a mobile roof leaning on it, one that could be moved to over the stove when cooking in the rain.

In the shed, Adrien found an assortment of items. Stone shelves full of all sorts of items that had to have come from villages, knives, pots, pans, sewing supplies, and many others. And set below the miscellaneous mass were dragon parts. Parts that looked worn, worn enough to have simply fall off the beasts. There were teeth, claws, scales, and horns. Near them seemed an assortment of made items with these lost parts.

There were knives made with teeth.

There were masks made with familiar red scales, masks that looked older than the one he had glimpsed on Ladybug. Earlier products, Adrien guessed.

He picked up a scaly glove made with claws sewn into the knuckles. Moving it around, he wondered what this could be used for.

Wide eyed with curiously and wonder, Adrien looked out past the shed, eyes locking on one of the larger trees in this forest, framing this clearing. This large tree had a hollow opening, easily big enough for a human to fit into, and it dipped down into the earth, making a snug warm den. One that a larger dragon would have a hard time getting into.

Adrien crawled down into that den, taking a fast peek around.

There was a home built bed with old blankets, half of them with burns and tears, a pile of books, piles of plain paper and charcoal, some of it already sketched on, and an odd pile of items set near the back. Those items looked burned and worn as well.

Adrien crept back out, eyes wide as he looked over this lair once more.

The terror sat at the clearing entrance, impatiently eyeballing him.

"This is Ladybug's home," Adrien whispered in awe.

He had found the home of the phantom thief.

But where was she-

An angry hiss sounded above him, and Adrien whipped around, stumbling back when he came face to face with furious blue eyes.

Those blue eyes started to glow and change, and the last thing Adrien knew was an angry murmur above him, and the brush of a small, warm maw taking the jerky out of his near limp hand.

* * *

Slowly the world came back to him as Adrien woke, his vision brightening as the black withdrew. Above him, looming trees seemed to shift and dance as his eyes struggled to focus. Adrien blinked, dazed and heavy from sleep. He groaned on the ground, closing his eyes and running a hand through his hair, trying to collect his bearings and wake.

Where was he…?

What happened?

He, the last thing he remembered…

Ladybug.

Adrien jerked up, stiff.

Only to wince when the world spun and vertigo pushed at his head a little too hard. Setting his head on his knees, he waited for the spell to past as he tried to remember what happened. It was all coming back.

He had found Ladybug's lair.

Her actual lair where she lived and hid and stashed everything she stole.

Deep in the woods, next to one of the larger trees.

That was her home and he had found it and…

And then…

A dragon.

There was a dragon there beside the terrible terror. Something… he didn't know the breed. He doesn't think he's ever seen such a dragon in raids. Or even in this area.

What was it?

What did it do?

He just remembered turning around, spotting a large ruby pink body, big blue eyes that flashed with white rings and….

That was it.

That was the last thing he remembered.

It didn't feel like he had gotten hit in the head. It had to be something to do with that dragon's eyes.

Looking up when the world was settled around him, Adrien saw that he was close to home.

He blinked, surprised.

He was dropped back close to home?

The dragon took him home?

...Ladybug took him home?

All the more curious and intrigued, Adrien got up and went back home, thoughts swirling at his discoveries today, the lingering mystery hanging off his shoulders, whispering possibilities into his ear.

He was going to go back.

He was going to get answers.

He could not rest till he knew.

But he needed to prepare first…

* * *

"Usually, when you're cooped up in the house after a trip to the woods, you're brewing stuff. Should I be worried about this?" Chloe asked, staring down at the table full of books Adrien had gathered on dragon breeds, books he rarely looked into since he rather rely on his own observations since these books just largely covered ways of killing these beasts.

Adrien has told the blonde time and time again that he's found the writers to be frustratingly closed minded. _"Nothing on their evolution, why they can do that or have these traits, behaviors, temperament…"_

The rants she heard from him could go on.

Adrien usually just avoided those books.

It was really odd to see him diving into them, flipping through the pages, eyeing the illustrations and descriptions recorded on dragons.

"I'm looking for a certain dragon," Adrien voiced.

Chloe gives a start, narrowing her eyes at the blond. "Did you see something?" she asked. "Something out of the ordinary?"

"I don't know," he told her. "Wasn't attacked, just might've seen something. Might have. Anyway, I'm just checking Chlo. It's nothing, really."

She eyed him, unconvinced. Then shrugged it off.

Adrien wasn't going to share if he didn't want too. He'll simply hide all behind a smile. "A small cluster of terrors was spotted coming here," she said, "any suggestions for traps?"

Adrien withdrew from the book, frowning thoughtfully. "Well," he uttered, "they're easily bribed-"

"We're not wasting anything on bribing dragons."

"Ok, I would go shiny," Adrien said. "They also love shinies."

"Thank you Adrihoney," Chloe bid, turning and prowling off.

He hummed, waving her away and continuing his search for a dragon that had the abilities of the one at Ladybug's lair.

Something that can stun with eyes alone.

And was fast.

And could move without making a sound.

Fear class would be looked at for stealth, only, most fear breeds were sea dragons. That was deep inland. And certainly wasn't a hideous zippleback.

That left mystery class, full of many strange dragons, some that have only been encountered once, some that are thought to be mere myths.

Only there were quite a few dragons to search through in mystery.

Not vocal dragons, using screeches and songs...

Something with eyes… there had to be something...

Adrien stopped from where he was flipping through, eyes caught on a word.

 _...hypnotize…_

Adrien drew near, excitedly opening up to this page, eyeing what had to be one of the strangest dragons he's ever seen.

Changewing.

One of the hardest to find dragons in the world, capable of camouflaging, has acidic breath that can melt wood and rock, has the ability to _hypnotize_ and _stun_ it's prey.

That had to be the dragon.

A changewing in Ladybug's lair.

...Was it just one?

Adrien frowned, tilting his head as he read over the small description of this beast. According to this, the few changewings encountered were always in a group, a pride of these creatures, and hunted together.

Was there more than one?

He should prepare for the possibility.

He narrowed his eyes, reading over the weakness of this dragon. Only thing recorded was that this beast had softer scales than most dragons, could not camouflage if hurt, or was flying. And only the eyes will stay visible. Only thing this book had to offer was to take great care when in this dragon's presence. It sought to sneak up on prey, hypnotize or burn their prey with their acidic breath.

Well, Adrien pouted, that was going to be annoying. So he had to watch out for eyes while also avoid meeting those eyes, less the dragon hypnotize him again. One of many, most likely.

...Maybe he'll be lucky and they're easy to bribe like terrors?

Maybe?

Adrien hoped. He could certainly hope.

He looked over the strange dragon, the horns sticking out of it's cheeks, the needle thin eyes, the leaf like wings, the long streaming antennas coming out of it's head with looked like leaf buds. He wondered how Ladybug could get such beasts to work with her, fight at her side.

In general, how could she so easily live and thrive in a forest full of dragons?

Dragons barely tolerated humans.

And yet, that terrible terror seemed to live with her, and the changewing.

That monstrous nightmare looked to be a neighbor.

How could she so easily live these creatures and not get attacked?

Was it because she was living on her own? Outside a village full of Vikings? Maybe it was her approach to them? Maybe?

Adrien has noticed that out of everyone here in the village, he gets attacked the least. He's never been aggressive towards dragons, and usually, they in turn simply ignored him. Unless they were cranky. Or he had walked right into their territory. But for him to be attacked, it was uncommon compared to everyone else.

Maybe that was it.

Maybe it was her approach. She wasn't aggressive with them. And they tolerated her.

Or maybe she trained them, since that terrible terror had a little bracelet on it's horn. And dragons were animals, and animals were trainable, though some easier than others.

That would explain why the changewing was there to guard Ladybug's lair.

Ladybug likely trained it.

At least, that's what Adrien was suspecting.

He won't know till he got back there.


	3. Chapter 3

Living in the dragon filled wilderness for a near two years now, it takes a lot to unnerve Marinette.

She's had a lot of unnerving to work around that first year and few months.

Her draconian neighbors for one.

They didn't care for having a small human lingers in the center of the woods, believing her to be another Viking, not that she was, anymore...

But she got used to dragons. She was able to work around and appeal to them, majority in this area were willing to tolerate her. And didn't quite care to fight a protective changewing over allowing a human to live in their forest. But she was able to get past dragon neighbors. Dragons don't really unnerve her much anymore.

Raids.

That was another unnerver.

The first few times she and Tikki slipped into villages during raids, she was so scared. There was so much chaos all around. Bodies darted about, there were roars and shouts, fire everywhere, the bang of teeth, the hiss of claws, and the song of blades.

It was all so overwhelming.

The first few times, she almost just wanted to try stealing from villages in the dead of nights, with no raids.

But that was a foolish, scared thought.

Raids were the only times Vikings would leave their homes unguarded.

And during the chaos, they were more likely to overlook a thief slipping around their homes, more likely to not notice anything she takes. She only took what she needed after all. Essentials that weren't in the wilderness. Just the smallest little things that were easy to replace.

She's gotten used to the chaos of raids.

She's gotten used to being quick, looking for only what she needs, getting out long before the raids die down.

Raids don't unnerve her anymore.

Nightmares, nightmares kinda did still unnerve her. But it helped to have Tikki close.

But otherwise, there was nothing that really unnerved her.

She didn't think anything else would freak her out anymore.

Till she and Tikki had come back to see a Viking in her home, looking around it.

She was lucky Tikki was there, and acted fast, stunning the Viking.

Now came an issue.

What does she do now?

Marinette pulled her scaly attire out of the stream, cleaning it of the Viking's drool from where he had slept on her as she and Tikki dropped him near his home.

He was one of the few to catch her, actually catch her.

And now he knew where she was.

He knew.

Someone actually knew.

Marinette looked back over to her home, frowning. A home she spent a good few months building up and shaping. A home she really didn't want to leave. A home she _shouldn't_ have to leave. She _shouldn't_ loose another home. But how can she stay when it was discovered? There was a good chance that Viking would come back, his whole village behind him; they'd catch Tikki, probably kill her, and-

There was a loud snort near Ladybug, turning her gaze to Tikki. The changewing peered at her, seated by Marinette.

Marinette sighed, turning to set her suit down on a large rock, letting the water slide off as it dried.

She couldn't believe a Viking found her…

That was so strange.

Unnatural.

Vikings never come into the woods, especially alone. Dragons here didn't care for Vikings in these woods. It took a near half year for her to be tolerated, and even then, there were still dragons that didn't want her here. What was he doing here? Why did he come here? Why did he brave this trek alone? Was he trying to reclaim something she stole? Did she take something important?

Marinette doesn't recall doing so. All she got from that Viking's home was a few candles. That's all she had time to grab, little candles.

Would anyone really pursue a thief for candles?

Tikki drew near, resting her muzzle in her human's lap. Marinette patted her snout, running her hand along the curve of Tikki's horn. She admitted, "I'm really freaked out by that…"

Tikki clicked at her, nuzzling the human's stomach reassuringly.

There was a chirp behind Marinette, and she turned to give the sheepish terror a glare. "I'm still disappointed in you, Nooroo."

The terror shrunk down, pressing to the ground and whimpering.

Marinette would not be appeased. "You know better than to lead Vikings here!"

Nooroo gave a series of weak clicks.

Tikki snorted back.

Sighing, Marinette told Tikki, "I don't want to leave... You think we can do some rearranging? Would there still be time?"

Tikki made a clicking noise, rising up, looking ready.

"We'll do what we can," Marinette agreed, standing with her dragon, turning her determined gaze to the trees around them. If there's a village coming for them, they weren't going to make it easy to find them. Marinette jumped over the stream and raced for the tree line. Tikki pursued, her acidic saliva already bubbling in her mouth, ready to be used.

Neither were going to risk having some Viking hanging around.

Left alone, Nooroo made soft clicks after them before wandering off.

* * *

Usually terrible terrors were a bit hard to find, largely due to these dragons being so small and behaviors, they were practically scaly cats. Also, there were many, many, many dragons that were inclined to make a meal out of these small dragons. Being hard to find and being elusive, it was a must for them.

But the one terror that lead him to Ladybug was actually easy to find. Adrien found him at a stream, pawing at the water, dark eyes locked on fast silver fish beneath the water's surface.

Fish it seemed having a hard time getting.

With a grin, Adrien drew near and crouched beside the oblivious dragon. "Hey," Adrien greeted, watching the small dragon jump with a screech and tear away, twisting around to face him. The terrible terror gave an angry hiss at him.

"Easy there," Adrien eased, reaching for the bag at his side. "Just wondering if you could lead me to Ladybug again-"

The terror gave a chirp that sounded a lot like "no".

"Please?" Adrien pleaded, bringing out an even bigger chunk of jerky that the other day.

The terror perked, needle pupils going huge. Then it stubbornly shook it's head, growling softly.

Adrien tilted his head, considering this little beast. Ladybug really must have found a way to tame dragons. That's why it was refusing. But not one to be deterred, he drew near, waving the chunk of meat. "It's smoked with mushrooms and onion."

The terror made a weak sound, eyeing the jerky.

With a sigh, Adrien drew away, moving to stash this away. "Ok, I guess I could try another terror-"

The purple dragon gave an alarmed cry, jumping up and glaring at him. He peered back down, brow raised, struggling not to smile at the dragon's evident frustration.

The little dragon made little clicks, stomping it's claws as it considered the Viking before it.

With a coo, it turned and dashed off. With a grin, Adrien eagerly followed, eyeing the landmarks once more and making sure he had them down so he could just head over on his own, no dragon to bribe. Though he did have to stop a few times.

It seems like some things were changed?

He could've sworn there was no fallen tree last time. And large dragon skeleton seemed to have been moved, looking more imposing than last time.

Adrien suspected Ladybug has been at work, trying to hide her home from him.

Good thing he had a dragon guide.

This time they reached Ladybug's lair with no issue, no large dragon to hide from. Like before, when Adrien crept in, he found the lair empty no Ladybug in sight. Though there was sign of activity. The built stove was smoking, meat and vegetables sizzling over the hot flat rock. Adrien frowned, walking into it. Where did she go? She just had to have been here.

He have a start when the terror gave a loud yowl. He whipped around to see it glaring at him.

Adrien shushed it, cringing as he looked around for Ladybug, or other dragons. She had to be close.

The terror gave a loud hiss back.

Oh, right.

Jerky, it wanted the jerky.

Adrien tossed the chunk to the terror, letting the dragon catch it eagerly. Satisfied, Adrien turned back to clearing, looking around for Ladybug and other dragons. Just in case, he had some jerky left, jerky that would hopefully appease any other dragon he came across till he found Ladybug.

There was a sharp growl above and Adrien looked up, searching the large tree.

He caught of blue moving along the surface and quickly ducked his head away, heart pounding.

It was the changewing.

Keeping his gaze to the ground, he listened tensely as it drew near, long claws sliding along the wood's surface. He felt the dragon's hot breath brushing his bangs as it came to stop before him, growling as it glared down.

Shakily, he greeted, "H-hi buddy."

The hidden dragon hissed down at him.

Adrien brought out the jerky he had saved just for this, presenting it to where he thinks the changewing was. "You hungry-"

Adrien jumped when the curve of a dragon fang pressed at the back of his neck, dropping the jerky to the ground as a voice hissed in his ear, "You really think you could bribe a changewing with jerky?"

To add to this, the changewing growled and revealed it's ruby pink scales with black spots dotted all over it. The curve of that fang pressed harder at the back of his neck. "W-well," Adrien stammered out, keeping his eyes on the changewing's body, avoiding those hypnotic eyes. "The jerky not only worked on a terror, it also worked on a monstrous nightmare..."

He felt Ladybug give a start, then she groaned. "Plagg," she muttered with a huff.

Adrien blinked in surprise, turning to the mysterious thief and lightly repeating, "Plagg?" What sort of name was Plagg?

"Shut up!" she hissed, pressing the fang harder to his neck.

But the damage was done.

His father often warned, _"That mouth of yours is going to get you in big trouble one day."_

But he just couldn't help himself. He liked to joke when he was stressed and unsteady. A try to break the mood. It was a bad habit he couldn't get rid of. So like an idiot, he said, "You know, it's not very threatening to have curve of a dragon's tooth at my neck. You should have the point at my neck at least."

He felt Ladybug twitch. "Oh I'm sorry!" she proclaimed dramatically. Next thing he knew, he was shoved closer to the dragon's maw, thin, curving, needle-like teeth inches from him. "Is that better?" Ladybug asked.

"Ye-yeah, that's, that's certainly more intimidating," Adrien admitted.

"Good, good," she bid, adjusting the fang so the sharp point of it rested at his neck. "So, back here again, Viking?"

"Y-yep."

"Still no village with you?" she uttered, sounding surprised and tense.

"Village?" he repeated, turning to the masked thief. "Everyone in my village doesn't really believe you exist!"

"So you're here to prove my existence to them."

"No!" he cried. "I, I'm not here to reveal you! Not to them!"

She blinks at him, then tilts her head, confused and wary. "Then why are you here?"

"I'm... curious," he stated.

"Curious," she repeated.

The changewing in front of him gurgled.

"Yes," he confirmed.

"Oh, so that's all!" she bid, her tone far too chirpy to reassure Adrien that it was all ok now. "Well, I'll consider your curiosity sated!" She started to push him past the changewing. "Now you can go and never come back!"

"Wait!" he cried, pushing back against the surprisingly strong girl. "No it's not!" He twisted around, escaping from her and sending her stumbling forward. He smiled sheepishly at the furious eyes that glared at him against the red mask covering her face. He kept his hands up, stating, "I wanted to know how you disappeared."

Ladybug stared at him. "That's it?"

"Uh, largely?"

She narrowed her eyes at him.

The changewing gurgled, narrowing it's eyes as well.

Ladybug eyed him for a few minutes, considering this strange Viking in front of her. Then she pointed to the changewing. "Tikki is how I disappear. This," she tapped her suit, "is made of fallen changewing scales. Scales that still respond to her. She disappears, so long as I'm staying in contact with her, I'll disappear too."

"Woah," Adrien whispered, turning his gaze to the changewing, to this Tikki.

Tikki raised her head higher, glaring down at him.

Adrien was oblivious though, stupidly drawing near the dragon. "How'd you figure that out?" he asked, looking over Tikki, taking her in.

Ladybug peered him, then stated, "You can figure out a lot when you live with dragons. You kinda have too."

He turned to her, asking, "So why do you live with dragons?"

Ladybug huffed. "No! Enough! I told you how I disappeared, get out. Goodbye. I see you again, Tikki and I will..." Ladybug falters. Tikki rumbled. Adrien peered at her expectantly. "I don't know! But you won't like it!"

He quirks an amused brow. "How intimidating," he voiced, making her scoff.

"Just go away!" Ladybug snapped, heading to the stove, moving flipping the meat so that it cook evenly.

"It's ok!" Adrien reassured, trailing after her. "I'm not going to reveal you to anyone, I'm just really curious-" He was cut off when Tikki appeared, prowling up in front of him and stepping in front of him. Adrien withdrew, Tikki trailed after him, baring her fangs.

Ladybug turned to them, glaring at Adrien. "Curiosity's more like to get you killed," she told him.

Tikki snapped her jaws, making Adrien scramble back, nearly tripping over the terror still gnawing away at the chunk of jerky he gave it. "It, it can also be very satisfactory," Adrien called back, quickly stepping over the terror.

"Well, you're not going to find any satisfaction here," Ladybug stated.

Tikki jumped at him, pushing Adrien on his back, wrapping her long claws around him. Spreading her great, leaf-like wings, the changewing took off, carrying the screaming Viking away.

Ladybug glared after him, huffing.

Then turned her gaze to Nooroo, still working on that meat.

Nooroo paused when he felt her stare, and met it slowly.

"No dinner for you tonight," Ladybug scolded.

Nooroo made quiet chirps, taking him meat and dragging it away towards the hollow in the ground.

No way was he going to let some larger dragon steal this from him.

* * *

It left a wonder of just what to do now.

On the one hand, he was still quite curious about Ladybug. There were still so many questions that had yet to be answered. Why did she live with dragons? Why not live with other Vikings, like she should be? Why was she alone? Why did she steal from Viking villages? How did she come across Tikki? Where was Tikki's pride? It seemed like she was the only changewing there.

There were so many things to wonder about.

Answers only Ladybug held.

But she wasn't interested in sharing, she didn't even want him around.

Now Vikings do fight and take what they want, but he was also raised to be a gentleman.

The lady does protests to his presence.

If his mother knew he was going back to pester a lady just for his curiosity, she'd be most disappointed.

But this mystery had it's claws sunk into him, not relenting. Adrien spared a glance out the window, eyeing the few in reconstruction. It brought the reminder and wonder of dragon raids.

Maybe Ladybug knew the reason for them.

Maybe she'd know how to stop them.

Adrien hummed.

Maybe that'd be a good enough reason to go back.

Dragons got hurt and killed during raids, same as Vikings.

Dragons that she lived with, and got along with.

Mindful, she won't get to steal on raids, but she didn't really have too. She could be back where she belongs, in a Viking village with other Vikings. She could have a home here, she could help ease dragon and Viking tensions. She could wind up opening doors that no other had really thought before, even Adrien himself, with his fascination with dragons and wanting to learn about them, hadn't really even considered the possibility and idea that he could live with a dragon in peace.

And yet she did it.

She had two dragons that she lived with peacefully.

She was able to find creative ways to make use of dragons. Ways that could help advance their culture, make their lives better.

A suit made of changewing scales that could hide you. If there were invaders to fight off, that could be rather helpful.

And there were many other things dragon could help with. Having them be comfortable here could fend of attacks from pirates, making rival villages cautious in challenging them. Dragons could help guard livestock. Could help make the village warmer during winter. Could help moving things around.

There was a lot of potential.

They just needed a way to breach the possibilities.

And Ladybug could be that breach they need.

It was just a matter of convincing her.

And that meant going back, appealing to her with the potential of progress.

Adrien spared a glance to his mother's smiling portrait, sending her a silent apology.

The lady he seeks may protest, but the opportunities were too much to ignore.

And if Ladybug herself couldn't be that breach between dragons and Vikings, Adrien will happily be that in her place.

He did need to learn first.

And who better a teacher than her?


	4. Chapter 4

**WE SURVIVED.**

 **Happy new years everyone! I'm hoping 2017 will be a bit better at least. Let's start it off with an update!**

* * *

Adrien would like to congratulate himself on his cleverness.

To make up to Ladybug, he didn't _go_ into her lair. But he did linger close to it, securing that Ladybug would either find him, or he found her.

By his lucky stars, Adrien found her first.

He grinned as he saw her in a tree, nosing around a bird's nest, picking up small, gleaming items. A thief stealing from little thieves. How unsurprising. "Hi Ladybug!" he called out with a wave, making her jump and nearly fall out of the tress. Ladybug grabbed it, looked towards him wildly, then glared. He could see her muttering to herself as she scooted closer to the trees' edge, then slid down the curving trunk to the ground below.

She stomped over to him, glaring up at him. "What are you doing back?!" she demanded.

"Oh just gathering some things, just like you," he eased, patting his sack full of herbs and leaves and roots. Anything he could use for alchemy and potion brewing. She glared at it, then glared at him.

"You should leave," she said.

Adrien chuckled, easing around her. "I didn't know you owned these woods."

"I don't," she admitted. "Plagg does. And he's not a kind dragon."

Plagg the monstrous nightmare. "He's not too bad," Adrien commented, slowly walking away.

"When lazy," Ladybug insisted, prowling up beside him. "You haven't seen him when Plagg gets serious."

"I'll believe you the day Plagg isn't tempted by food," Adrien declared.

Ladybug huffed beside him.

"Speaking of dragons," Adrien voiced, turning to look down to her. "I got a proposition for you."

Ladybug blinked in surprise, eyeing him warily. "A proposition..." she repeated slowly.

"You don't have to do this anymore," he told her.

"This?" she repeated, waving her hand about, like she was trying to tempt more out.

A little amused by the gesture, he cleared up, "Stealing from us during raids. I promise you, you help stop those raids, you can have your own home in my village! You don't have to steal or live with dragons again!"

Ladybug gasped, hands flying to her mouth, eyes wide with wonder. "Stop the dragon raids and live in a village full of Vikings I don't know? Vikings that likely won't take the presence of Ladybug the phantom thief kindly?! Especially since she lives with dragons?!" Her eyes slanted down as she peered at him. Flatly, she responded, "How could I resist?"

Surprised, he stared at her then tried to ease, "I doubt it'd be that bad-"

"You," Ladybug cuts in, jabbing a gloved finger to his chest, "really think that dragon hating Vikings would accept me?"

Adrien rubbed the spot she jabbed. "People can change," he reasoned.

"Yeah, people, individuals," she said, using her hands to add to this point. "But a whole village? A whole culture? That, that doesn't change easy. Especially not a day!" She shook her head, the scales on the mask rattling with the movement. "I'm not going to be accepted there. I wasn't before, I doubt that'd change now." She turned away with a huff, leaving the surprised Viking behind.

"Before?" he called after her, pursuing her. He came beside her, looking down. "You tried to join before?" he asked the masked thief.

"Yeah," she she confirmed, turning to his sharply, making him skid to stop. "Living in a village offers the greatest chance of survival. But no one wants a girl that smells of dragons and was being shadowed by a changewing. No one really wants a girl that wants a changewing to live with her. No one wants a changewing around."

There was a snap above and Adrien jumped, turning to catch the blue of Tikki's eyes. The lone changewing was trailing them, eyeballing Adrien.

Ladybug walked on, far from alarmed. Adrien cleared his throat, following. Before he could speak up, she continued, "And maybe, just maybe, you should consider that I _want_ to continue living with dragons? In the wilderness. That I _don't_ want to live in a village full of Vikings?"

Adrien had to stop at that. "Really?" he voiced, surprised.

Dragons, he could agree were interesting creatures, ones full of potential.

But to live with them instead of Vikings? Their own kind?

She turned, waving to him like that made the answer clear. "Vikings are a bit impossible."

Adrien pursed his lips. "Well, you're a Viking," he shoots out.

"Not anymore," she said. "Vikings are largely classified as being amazing sailors and explorers and dragon killers. I am none of those. Even before. I couldn't do any of those. I could make bread. I was a decent bread making Viking, but that doesn't really count as amazing in the world of Vikings."

"You're not an explorer?" he teasingly asked, looking around the woods. Wouldn't she have to be here?

"I'd be long lost without Tikki or Nooroo," she huffed.

She turned and stomped off. Adrien persistently followed. He continued to press, "Ok, ok. No living in a Viking village. Got it. Then, maybe you can still help us?"

"Help how?" she asked flatly.

"The raids? Why are they happening? How can we make them stop?" Adrien listed off.

She stopped, turning to him to eyeball him.

Adrien shoots her a look. "If you say you can't do that because you steal during raids..."

"I don't know why raids are happening," she cut in. "Dragons will raid for many different reasons."

"Such as..." Adrien pressed.

"Well, a lack of food will push a dragon to go at villages. It could be territory, especially if a dragon or few lost it's home to another bigger dragon, the losers may try to bully humans out so they can claim that area. They could just not like humans. Or they're doing it to appease another dragon."

Adrien blinked in surprise. "Appease another dragon?" he repeated.

"Dragons will fight each other just like people do. And there's always someone bigger and scarier out there. Someone that could easily gobble up another dragon. And sometimes, the best way to survive is do appeal to that dragon. Sometimes, that means attacking Vikings." She frowned, contemplative. "There is one dragon here that could scare enough of these guys to go raiding. They may do that because they sense she's hunting, they may be raiding hoping she'll be drawn to the villages and go there to hunt instead."

Ladybug sighed, shaking her head, the scaly mask rattling. "I don't know," she admitted, sounding tired. "Dragons will raid for many reasons. It borders easily between they just don't like you being neighbors to they have to in order to survive. Which reason this is, I don't know. Every dragon is different."

Adrien hummed thoughtfully, frowning as he mulled this over. "So, no way to stop the raids?"

"At this moment, I don't know how. If she's scaring dragons into raiding, I say go slay Akuma, if you can. If not... well, I just don't know. If you _could_ convince your village not to hate dragons or at least, try not to kill them on sight, _maybe_ you could find a way to appeal to your scaly neighbors. Otherwise, I just don't know." She backed this a weary shrug.

"Ok..." Adrien trailed, considering this. Then looking up, he asked, "Akuma? Who is she?"

"Probably one of the biggest dragons you'd meet here in this area," Ladybug told him, wrapping her arms around her middle, looking very small and scared. It was an odd sight to Adrien. "And one of the nastiest. Very, very few survive when they meet her." Ladybug turned her gaze to the ground. "She has no real set territory, no real set hunting ground. You never know when she'll come, where she'll be. This part of the woods is one of her least used hunting grounds, which is why Tikki and I stay here..."

Tikki clamors down, rumbling. Ladybug goes to her, leaning on the dragon. "Plagg's one of the few dragons that can hold against Akuma, and she doesn't care to fight unless she's in the mood for it. Most of the time, she just wants to eat so she usually won't want to fight but..." Ladybug gulped. "She does sometimes. Tikki and Nooroo can sense her, and when she's hunting here, we all sleep as high as we can in the trees."

So there was a chance that this Akuma could come here. Adrien asked, "What sort of dragon is Akuma?"

"A whispering death."

Adrien tensed, feeling cold.

Whispering death were one of the worst dragons to come across. They were naturally aggressive dragons, bordering cruel by nature. And so easily bitter and grudging by nature. And these dragons, they were willing to eat anything, including other dragons and even Vikings. It's been recorded that they were one of the few that liked human meat.

Adrien gripped his bag's strap, uneased. "Why hasn't Akuma attacked the villages yet?" he asked.

Ladybug shrugged. "She's nasty," was all Ladybug offered. "She likes going at Vikings that are walking alone or in small groups. She likes taking them by surprise."

"She's probably why many Vikings discourage going into the woods," Adrien murmured. It was long thought that dragons in general would just strike Vikings that wander in, many of them, any of them.

But if it was just a large whispering death...

"She has no set lair?" Adrien asked.

Ladybug shook her head. "Maybe... deep, deep, _deep_ underground? Otherwise, I don't know." Then she cleared her throat, straightening and shoots him a sharp look. "This is why you need to stop, go back home and don't come back. Akuma will get you. She can sense when Vikings are wandering around in the woods, especially when they're alone. And you look like someone a bit important. Last thing I need is a vengeful village coming in going on a bitter dragon hunt, getting the wrong dragon, or finding me, or Tikki."

Adrien blinked at her, surprised.

Important?

Was he that important that his village would go on a vengeful dragon hunt?

...Adrien supposes.

His father was one of two advisers to Chief Andre Bourgeois.

The other was the Kubdels' father.

And he did get an engagement offer from Chloe, though, it was more offered out of pity since he sucked at dragon fighting, and no girl wanted a man who was a horrible dragon fighter. _"I can do the fighting for both of us,"_ Chloe declared. _"And if I had to marry, might as well be someone I know that's not going to pressure me to settle and bare children."_

Not quite what he had in mind marriage wise, but Adrien could manage if it came to that point.

These were the marrying years.

Adrien jumped when he was shoved, Ladybug pushing him forward and back to where his village was. "H-hey!" he protest, once again sliding away from her and sending her stumbling forward. At Ladybug's sharp look, he insisted, "I'm done gathering herbs yet!"

"I swear on Nidhog's stinky breath," she muttered, waving her hands in exaggeration.

Adrien blinked. That was one of the nastiest swears in the Viking world. "You are really irked," he noted.

"You think?!" Ladybug huffs, waving her arms wildly at him, stomping near and ranting out. "I, I have a Viking who discovered me! I have a Viking I can't get rid of! Who may draw in other Vikings, and it'll stress out my neighbors, or they'll come after Tikki, and probably me, and it's all going up in flames and-"

Tikki drew near, clicking and huffing down at the masked human. Ladybug latched onto the dragon's long snout, clutching it like a life line. Adrien blinked at this, eyeballing them. Ladybug glared at him. "Don't look at me like that I have a wild imagination and I get anxious easily. And _you're_ making me anxious!" Tikki growled her blue eyes back at him.

Adrien gave her a light scoff. "I doubt it's as bad as you think, Ladybug."

"No, it is," she insisted.

"...Really?"

"Yes."

"Positive?"

"Absolutely."

Adrien raised a brow at her.

Ladybug glared at him.

Tikki huffed.

"You really think," Adrien pressed, "that a dragon is going to flip out at the sight of me? And that me being here will draw out other Vikings?"

"Yes."

"Logically, that's kinda silly."

"Silly," she repeated sharply.

"Well, it's perfectly normal for me to come here. I come here to gather herbs, I'm one of the few Vikings good at alchemy, so no one from my village will really follow me out here. And Akuma hasn't gotten me yet."

"You've never wandered too far from your village though," she retorted, making Adrien give a slight start at the reveal that she's seen him gathering herbs before.

He shook his head. "I'm still in the woods," he pressed. Then pointing to her, he stated, "And you are a Viking living a forest full of dragons, and they obviously don't mind you."

"I've been living in these woods for almost two years, getting used to them and them to me," Ladybug said, withdrawing from Tikki and nearing the Viking, agitated. "I've made compromises, I bonded, I learned, I appealed. Majority of them aren't going to attack me because they know me. They don't see me as a Viking. I'm not Viking, and even when I used to be, I was a horrible Viking that many of them didn't even know existed." She pointed to him, stressing, "They don't know you. To them, you're a Viking form one of these villages. It'll be even worse if they've seen you during a raid or foug-"

There was a near, curious cry behind them.

Ladybug and Tikki stiffened.

Adrien slowly leaned over, eyes locking onto a familiar deadly nadder. A nadder he knows he's seen on raids. A nadder that Chloe had punched in the jaw. An act he was present to see. And by the loud sniffing from the dragon, it's spines raising, it remembered his scent besides Chloe's.

That he was there when Chloe punched the nadder's jaw.

That he was there during a dragon's raid.

"Duusu," Ladybug whispered fretfully, moving so that she stood in front of Adrien.

The nadder, Duusu, hissed as it shuffled on it's claws.

Tikki gave a warning growl, loudly stomping her feet as she moved to stand before the two humans. Duusu stomped a claw down, snapping it's jaws. Spines on the tail snapped up, ready to be used.

"Run," Ladybug uttered.

Adrien didn't moved.

Duusu turned, tail arcing back.

Ladybug whipped around and shoved Adrien hard, shouting, "Run!"

Adrien stumbled, moving with Ladybug's pushes, allowing the small thief to grab his hand and easily drag him off, away from the nadder and the spikes it flung at them. With a furious cry, Tikki charged. Adrien looked back to see the fight over Ladybug's head, trying to move with her tugs. The last he saw was the nadder jumping into the air, pink wings spread and Tikki disappeared from sight. Ladybug sped around the trees, and he lost sight of the fight, though he still heard the snaps and growls.

Moving quickly, they ran through the forest, Ladybug easily moving around the branches and roots and rocks, tugging Adrien along whenever he stumbled and tripped. Even as the sounds of the fight grew distance, she kept going, not daring to slowly down.

Only, for Adrien, as they ran, his legs started to burn, and his steps got clumsier.

"I, I think we might good," Adrien managed out, tugging his hand back.

"What?" Ladybug asked, turning to him, and not stopping right away. She gave a loud, surprised squeal when she dropped down, giving Adrien an equal start.

"Ladybug!" he cried, rushing after her, nearly dropping down when the edge suddenly opened up before him. "Woah," he whispered, waving his arms for balance, quickly spotting Ladybug on the ground. She sat up, muttering, "Owie, owie, owie," to herself. "You ok?" he called down.

"I'm fine!" she called back, wobbling to her feet. Adrien carefully worked his way down to join her, ignoring Ladybug as she insisted, "I've had worse. "

"You've had worse," he repeated skeptically, taking her wrists and helping steadying her, looking over for anything. She seemed to be standing fine. He went along her arms, trying to feel anything beneath the scales he had wrapped around her arms. He couldn't really feel anything beneath the smooth, warm plates. "That was quite a drop," he murmured.

"There are bigger drops," she waved off, withdrawing from him, and turning her gaze up to the ridge she fell from. Then she pointed up to it, stating, "See? Like I said, they're going to flip out finding you here."

"Well," Adrien tried to argue, "that nadder kinda knew me from the raids-"

"And that's it! They'll know you from the raids! They're going to freak out, get aggressive, attack-"

"How come they didn't attack you?" Adrien wondered.

"They did! I had Tikki to protect me through a lot of that."

"...Well, couldn't she protect me too?"

Ladybug stared at him. "You expect Tikki to protect you from each and every dragon, wait, why would she even need to protect you?! No! You're not going to come this deep anymore!"

"That's not really for you to decide," Adrien pointed out.

Ladybug growled at him, blue eyes narrowed. "Then don't assume that Tikki and I will save you each and every time. From each and every dragon! You come here again, you're on your own."

Done with the Viking, she turned to prowl off, moving to scale up the wall she had fallen down. Adrien went after her, reaching for the scale covered thief. "Wait!"

She paused, gripping a root tightly, looking just as ready to move.

"How about a deal?" Adrien tried.

Ladybug spared him a glance over her shoulder. "A deal," she repeated testily.

"I really, really want to stop the raids. And it seems part of that is learning and knowing dragons. You know a lot! You can teach me about dragons. And I could use that to stop the raids, could teach that to others in my village. Pass that onto other villages."

"You're talking about changing a whole entire culture-"

"It's not impossible," he argued patiently. "And in return, you won't have to go stealing on raids anymore, I'll bring you whatever you need." Adrien paused, letting the offer hang.

Ladybug eyeballed him. "You'd bring me anything?" she asked.

"Anything," he repeated.

She shook her head, dropping down with a huff. "It's not going to be easy. As you saw with Duusu, they'll know your a Viking. They won't want to trust or work with you. And you think learning about dragons will be enough to stop raids? You got to figure out why they're raiding to stop it. It could be a bigger dragon, it could be food, it could be just a general dislike-"

"And I can learn that through your teachings," he said. "I know more about dragons than anyone else in my village. I know terrors are easy to bribe, dragon nip can turn a grunkle in a puddle of goo, you can stop a nadder with a mirror-"

Ladybug shook her head, still unsure.

Adrien persisted to appeal, "You do this, and I bring you things, and the legend of Ladybug would fade and be forgotten. No one will come searching for you."

"The risks..." she tried.

"I'm a Viking, a fighter, a survivor," he stated, "I can adapt. I can make it." He glanced to the trees. "You go into the trees to hide from Akuma? I could too. I know those are strong enough to hold dragons. I could travel through the trees too."

Ladybug just eyed the ground, still torn.

"And you used to be a Viking," he pointed out, "you do admit this. So it's not impossible for dragons to accept a Viking."

Ladybug made a tired, strangled sound, slumping down on the wall and sliding down to lean on it.

Sensing that she was breaking, Adrien pursued, "I'll help you disappear, I'll bring you whatever you need, and no one would ever catch sight of you again. And in return just help me learn about dragons so I can figure out how to stop the raids. And Vikings will stop dragon hunting if I do this right, no one will come after Tikki, Nooroo, Plagg, or Duusu..."

Ladybug eyed him, considering this.

Slowly, she repeated, "So, I teach you about dragons, you try and stop the raids, and you bring whatever it is I want, and help 'Ladybug' disappear?"

"Yep!"

She shook her head. "That, it seems impossible..."

"I doubt it really is," Adrien persisted.

Ladybug sighed, frowning as she considered this. Was it worth it? In the long run, it'd be nice. If Adrien was successful, she and Tikki would be left alone. Dragon aggression would dwindle down. She wouldn't have to worry about over reactive Vikings anymore. Or the stress of stealing during a raid. Anything she needs he could just bring her. It was an appealing offer.

But there were risks.

But, those risks could be worked around.

They'd just have to be clever and tactical.

It could be done.

Giving the Viking a sharp look, she pointed to him, stating, "No one else will find out about this."

"Of course."

"We'll have to take precautions. I will not risk Akuma coming here."

"Agreed."

"And you're to do everything I tell you. I tell you to run, you run. I tell you to hide, you hide. I tell you to go with Tikki, you go with Tikki. Don't move. You don't move. Many of the dragons here will try to kill you. And Tikki can't face off against all of them."

Adrien nodded.

Ladybug got up with a sigh, still looking very unsure about this. "Ok Viking, we'll, we'll give this a shot," Ladybug uttered.

He held out his hand. "It's Adrien Agreste, the Curious."

She took his hand, grumbling, "I say more the Devious."

He cracked an amused smile. "I'm the Devious?"

"Yes," she stated.

Adrien chuckled, not really denying it. "I'm looking forward to working with you, Ladybug."


	5. Chapter 5

Tikki growled, watching her human scuttle around.

Ladybug sighed aloud from where she crouched about her trinkets, uttering, "I know Tikki..."

Nooroo gave a loud chirp, then shrunk down when Tikki whipped around to him. Tikki turned back to her, snapping her jaws. Ladybug sighed, plopping down on the ground, legs crossed, eyeing a little yo-yo she plucked from her trinket pile. Her latest tinker. One she knows works, but since majority of her neighbors didn't mind her, it was a creation that came too late, with not much need for it.

Though perhaps she'll need it now.

With a Viking hanging around, there'll be a spark of aggression.

She'll need to do a check, see what needed attention, see if it'd still work fine.

...She should probably check how good Adrien was with a yo-yo. This would've been an amazing little trinket to carry when he was on his own, but it'd be useless if he wasn't good with a yo-yo. Frowning, she turned her gaze to her pile. Things she stole, things she made... there has to be something here that the Viking could use when traveling on his own, that can counter a dragon that came at him when he was on his own.

Her eyes settled on little small spheres she wrapped up in weak fabrics, held together by vines and string and ropes she swiped. An item easily broken when thrown.

There were the dragon nip bombs...

Ladybug jumped when Tikki gave her a hard nudge. She twisted around, meeting her changewing's narrowed blue eyes. "This could work out for us," Ladybug tried to reason.

Tikki snapped her jaws.

Ladybug sighed, and pointed out, "You know trust is a delicate game of chance. I had no reason to trust you that first meeting. He may be fine. We have yet to have a Viking village on us."

Tikki rumbled.

"It's one Viking. We can take him, we know we can. But... it's not a bad idea he has. I wouldn't miss stealing during raids. And stopping the raids would ease Viking agitation." She wouldn't have to worry about someone she knows getting cut down during a raid.

Like Duusu or Nooroo.

Those two were pretty involved in raids.

She just had to figure out a plan.

Taking her yo-yo, she gave it a little spin, listening to it's whistle as it flew. She skimmed it against the rocks of her built stove, and just like that, the yo-yo sparked to life, fire encasing the small, hand crafted device. Made with nightmare scales. Made to keep fire burning on it, making a lovely circle glow as she spun it. A circle dragons could not help but be fascinated by. She turned to Tikki and Nooroo, watching their pupils go huge in wonder at the glowing display she showed them.

Her gaze settled on the small purple dragon.

A promising start.

* * *

"You're going into the woods again?"

Adrien gave a start, turning to see Alix Kubdel eyeballing him oddly, a curious frown on her lips. "Hi Alix," he greeted. "Yes, I'm heading back out."

She raised a brow at him. "Are you low on your herbs or something? Usually you just go twice a month. Now it seems your going out every day..."

"Uuuuum," Adrien uttered, mind scrambling for an answer.

Alix was another amazing upcoming Viking, and can easily rival Chloe as a fighter. And was easily suspicious. And not liking Chloe, by extension, she was a little wary of him. And anything odd with him could mean something odd with Chloe, something she needed to watch out for. Or she'll want to watch out for.

And the last thing he needed was Alix following him to Ladybug's lair, when he had _just_ got her to agree to help him.

He had a feeling Ladybug would disappear forever if so.

Adrien rather that not happen.

"There's a certain brew I want to try," he told her, "and it requires a lot of ingredients. Hard to find ingredients."

She eyeballed him. "You do know that Jalil keeps his own storage of herbs and roots and stuff, right? He may have what you're looking for."

"I need them fresh," Adrien stated. And quickly pointed out, "He doesn't really like to share."

She raised a brow. "He can be reasonable... and only fresh? That's a bit uncommon..."

"It's a strange recipe," Adrien persisted with a shrug, moving to walk around the small girl. "Anyway, it's nothing Al. Just looking for stuff."

She turned after him, voicing, "I know what's going on."

Adrien froze.

There was no way.

No one believed in Ladybug.

There was no wa-

"You're secretly dragon training, aren't you?" Alix guessed.

Oh thank Odin's beard. "Yes!" Adrien confirmed, chuckling sheepishly and rubbing the back of his neck, turning to her. "You caught me red handed. I was, practicing dragon fighti, er, handling. On my own. Trying to join the raids in the future. Wow the village. Surprise everyone."

Technically yes he was. He was taking special dragon training that showed him how to best handle dragons. He did plan to wow the village with what he learned. Planned to change a whole culture with what he learned.

It was going to take a lot of time.

But he's sure it could be done.

Alix grinned, approving. It'd be good if they didn't have to worry about Adrien anymore, and having him hold his own against dragons. She encouraged, "Don't be afraid to ask for tips. Especially if you need a sparring partner. And be careful out there! Some of those dragons out there can be real nasty."

"Oh I know," he reassured. He definitely knew how nasty they can be.

Especially a bitter nadder named Duusu.

And a protective changewing named Tikki, ready to fight and protect her human.

But he had Ladybug's stamp of approval.

He should be fine.

And with Alix's suspicions put to rest, Adrien quickly slipped away, ready to start this first dragon lesson.

* * *

Adrien had just slipped past the trees that walled the woods when he heard a loud _snap_.

He looked up and caught sight a flash of blue eyes from above, watching him.

Tikki.

Adrien suspected his escort today.

He waved to her, calling out, "Hi Tikki."

There was an answering rumble, and he heard the click of claws plucking at the wood, the dragon crawling down, revealing herself and eyeing him. Her eyes didn't flash and Adrien found he wasn't under threat of hypnosis.

A good sign.

"Are you going to be my first dragon friend Tikki?" Adrien asked excitedly.

She snorted hot air into his face, then jumped off the tree. Not looking back at Adrien, she trotted away, no doubt heading towards the lair. Adrien quickly followed, knowing that he'd be safest with the changewing.

All the while, he wondered how these lessons would go.

For sure Ladybug would have him working with dragons.

He'd be learning about them, their natures, behaviors, how to appeal and understand them.

It was going to be awesome.

They had no trouble getting to Ladybug's lair, and Adrien was quick to catch sight of Ladybug. She sat on a large root of the big tree in her home, hunched over and tinkering over something. Curious and excited, Adrien drew near, calling out, "Whatcha working Lady?"

She only spared him a fast glance, then turned back to it, her answer coming out as a mumble he couldn't hear.

Deciding he'd learn about it soon enough, he called, "So, am I going to get my own scaly suit too? And disappear with you and Tikki?"

Tikki huffed near him.

The question drew Ladybug down, easily hopping down the root and landing before him. Giving him a slight look, she said, "Tikki doesn't like you enough to let you ride her."

Adrien's eyes widened at the statement. "Riding?" he echoed.

"How else do you think I get around so fast?" Ladybug asked lightly, blue eyes gleaming in amusement.

"I thought she just carried you!" he said. Just like she had carried him away.

"Nope, I ride. I'm light enough to be no bother for her."

"So, I could ride her someday?"

"If she lets you. She could probably carry us both easily."

Adrien grinned. "When can we start?!"

She held up a gloved hand, stating, "Baby steps Viking. Let's just work on you befriending a dragon. And some precautions."

She held up the item she was tinkering with. A small yo-yo, looking made up by black scales. "Ever worked one of these?" she asked.

"Um," he hummed, taking the yo-yo. "Not really good with these," he admitted. He frowned, turning to her. "How is this a precaution?"

Ladybug took out her own, showing him the nightmare scaled yo-yo she made. "This is most likely to wow any dragon that comes at you."

Adrien stared at it.

Then at her, raising a brow at this claim.

"You don't have to really work it like a yo-yo," Ladybug reassured him, letting the dark scaled yo-yo drop and moving around him. "Though it would certainly wow any dragon you come across... well, majority of them. This didn't really wow Akuma when I came across her. She more tried to eat me when I did it. So don't bother with Akuma."

"Do you have any safety precaution with Akuma?" Adrien asked, trailing behind her, watching curiously as she stopped by the rocks that made up her stove.

"Outside climb a tree and hope she doesn't smell you? Nope."

Turning to him, she held out the yo-yo, making sure he was paying attention. "Now this will work on most dragons. They like a good show. And for them, a good show is as easy as just spinning."

At this skeptical stare, Ladybug banged the yo-yo against the rock.

The dark device flared up, igniting from the friction, making Adrien jump, watching it wonder. "Woah," he whispered.

With her scaly gloves, she held the flaming yo-yo up. "Nightmare scales," she told him. "Secured to hold the flame and keep it going." She dropped it and started to lightly spin the yo-yo, making a flaming circle flaring beside her. "The string of it is ironvine."

"A vine that doesn't burn," Adrien murmured, watching it in wonder.

Ladybug nodded, slowing the yo-yo to a stop. "This trick will work with most dragons, you don't have to do anything fancy, spinning a circle will likely be enough. Be careful though, since this is fire, and while these forests have evolved to handle dragon fire, they do still catch fire time to time so just be careful." The yo-yo dropped to the ground and was scooted about the dirt, letting the blaze on it die.

Ladybug pulled off the ring on her finger and held it out to Adrien. "The yo-yo is still hot," she warned as Adrien took the little stone ring. "So be careful."

"What else did you make?" he asked in wonder, holding the yo-yo up, eyeing the nightmare scales. They had a faint glow to them from the lingering heat.

"Something else you can use, even against Akuma. Though it won't calm her down, it will slow her down. So long as you have a good arm," Ladybug said, moving to her pile of trinkets she has. Adrien trailed after her, curious about what she has. He blinked at the small weak, fabric balls she placed in his hands. "Be careful with those," she warned. "They break all over you, any dragon in the area will be all over you. And you probably won't want that."

Adrien turned to her, surprised. He held it up, giving it a little shake and listening to a slight slosh of liquid. "Is this dragon nip?" he asked.

"It is."

His village would love these. Dragon nip was the cat nip for reptiles. Most of these beasts go drunk and blissful around dragon nip. But dragon nip was dangerous to harvest since it grew deep in the woods. And the few times they tried growing in their village to harvest and make use of, it just drew dragons towards them, and the dragon nip wasn't quite strong enough to make them drunk.

It made them more upset that Vikings had dragon nip.

"So how will this slow Akuma down?" he asked.

"Dragon nip make whispering death sneeze," she told him, a smile in her voice. "She can't smell you out either if her nostrils are full of nip. But that depends on how good a throw you got. I've missed a few times. That was a few close calls..."

"Anything else?" he asked, turning to her pile.

"Against Akuma? No, not really. At least, nothing ready to be used. Only other defense I have is Plagg. Head towards him if Akuma is after you. Plagg should be more inclined to fight her than go at you."

"Alright." Adrien carefully set the spheres and yo-yo in his bag, making sure that they won't break. He made a mental note to try and practice that yo-yo later. To Ladybug, he asked, "So who am I going to befriend first?"

She pointed to across her lair.

He turned to see Nooroo poking around a rock, muttering and grumbling to himself as he nosed it.

Adrien raised a brow. "I think Nooroo and I are already friends?"

"You bribed him twice," Ladybug stated.

"Yes I gave him food."

"Befriending a dragon takes more than giving him food," Ladybug stated.

"Ok, ok," he relented, moving around Ladybug. "I'll go ahead and befriend the terror." Though he's sure he and Nooroo are already on good terms. Oh well. Ladybug seemed sure that they weren't friends yet, and there'd be no harm in just trying.

As his shadow fell over the terror, Nooroo whipped around, looking up to him. "Hi Nooroo!" Adrien greeted, aware of Ladybug's gaze at his back.

Nooroo made a raspy chatter back.

Adrien crouched to his level, offering his hand to the terror. "So Ladybug thinks we're not friends. We're friends, right?"

The terror blinked at him. Then he lifted his claws, looking like he was moving to set them on the tip of Adrien's fingers. Adrien was ready to turn to Ladybug smugly. Only Nooroo turned and dashed off, leaving the blond surprised behind him, blinking after the little purple dragon.

What just happened?

"You got to try harder than that!" Ladybug called after him.

Adrien pursed his lips, determined, and got up and pursued.

He was going to befriend that terror today if it was the last thing he does.

* * *

Well, there was one perk to a Viking that refused to leave her.

It made a good show for her to enjoy.

She and Tikki lounged on a thick branch of the large tree in her lair, nibbling on berries and strips of meat, watching Adrien chase Nooroo around. With no jerky on hand, the little terror was less inclined to work with him.

And Adrien was quickly learning this.

It was quite comical to see the betrayal covering his face as he pursued the little dragon around her lair.

Ladybug deemed the lesson ended when Nooroo had enough. Spreading his ivory wings, the terror flew off, heading for higher ground and leaving a frustrated blond behind to stare after him.

With many years of practice, Ladybug slid down the tree, joining him on the ground. When Adrien turned to her with a pout, she patted his shoulder, offering, "It takes a bit of time."

"How did Nooroo join you?" Adrien asked, moving to sit on a near rock, glaring after Nooroo.

The little dragon came across another terror, and the two were hissing at each other.

Ladybug shrugged, sparing a glance at the terror, coming up to lean on the rock beside him. "He just started hanging here not long after Tikki and I claimed this little spot. Terrors will live alongside a larger dragon to steal food from them, being easier and safer than hunting. Unless that dragon is hungry for terror but, Tikki doesn't care for terrors. And I don't mind having a terror around... anyway. He chose to linger around Tikki. He's usually here but he comes and goes."

Probably stealing food from Plagg.

Not too hard too with how lazy and picky that dragon is.

Ladybug should know with how many times she's gone into the nightmare's den to gather scales.

Plagg doesn't care.

And was easily distracted by cheese.

That was actually the time she saw Nooroo in Plagg's den. Going at whatever the nightmare caught while she distracted Plagg with cheese.

"Nooroo didn't mind having a Viking about?" Adrien asked.

"One I'm not a Viking. Two, terrors are scavengers," she told him, "out of all dragons, they're the most approachable to Vikings because Vikings may always have food on them. Now if a Viking is clearly aggressive, then they'll be aggressive. But usually, they don't mind Vikings too much."

Adrien considered this, then asked, "So, any tips on befriending a terror?" He quickly rambled, "I know they're drawn to shinies, from shiny items to reflections. Are easily bribed. Love food..."

Humming, Ladybug offered, "Terrors are a lot like cats."

"So approach Nooroo like a cat."

"Yep."

"And cats are difficult."

"Yep."

"Fun," Adrien muttered, earning a giggle from Ladybug.

He spared a glance to Tikki, watching her lounge about, her gaze lazy. "What about Tikki?" Adrien asked. "Aren't changewings apart of a pride or something?"

Ladybug faltered beside, turning her blue eyes to her ruby pink dragon. "I, I don't quite know. We certainly haven't come across any changewings here. And Tikki was alone when I met her. Something must've happened with her pride."

"What do you think happened?" he asked.

"Maybe a dragon attacked her pride, broke it apart and left scattered," Ladybug offered.

Adrien nodded, he could see that. Dragons that thrived in groups didn't do well on their own. Ladybug continued, a bite in her words, "Maybe, maybe hunters came. Or, or raiders. Maybe they found her pride, caught them, sold them, killed them..."

Adrien spared her a glance.

Ladybug glared to the ground, gripping the rim of the rock.

That wasn't too far off a thought either.

Especially since changewings were of the mystery class.

Mystery dragons were desirable and rare. He's heard the wealthy that lived across the sea deep, deep in land would keep mystery dragons as display pets. Adrien also read up that changewing eggs were thought to bring good luck, and that they were hunted for their eggs. Easily sold for high prices.

Turning away from Ladybug, he looked to Tikki, meeting her blue eyes that was locked onto him. Like she knew they were talking about her.

Boldly, he asked, "Why does Tikki live with you?" It sounded like she and Ladybug have been together a while. That Ladybug wanted Tikki to stay with her, and that one of the reasons she didn't live in villages was because of Tikki being unaccepted there.

Ladybug didn't answer him immediately, eyeing the ground. Then slowly murmured, "I, I was alone when she found. Just as she was alone when I met her. I think she thought, two prideless beings living together was better than both of us living alone."

Adrien turned to her, eyes wide with curiosity.

Curiosity Ladybug wasn't going to humor anymore.

She got up and stretched, dropping down with a sigh. "We'll try Nooroo again tomorrow," she bid, ending the lesson for the day.

And ending anymore question Adrien might've asked.


	6. Chapter 6

In the dead of night, Adrien crept out of his home, taking great care to not rouse his father. He has no idea how he would explain to Gabriel the Cold how he has this little yo-yo that could light aflame, much less where he got it. He had decided it was best kept secret, especially for Ladybug's sake.

If he wound up discovered, she was the one that would have been in trouble.

He doesn't doubt his village would have searched for her in those woods, eager to nag her for her creations.

But, it should be fine so long as he didn't accidentally light the yo-yo.

And just to make sure of this, Adrien crept out to the center of his village, in their finest square. A big open space, a safe place for him to practice without making the yo-yo hit anything. No friction. It should be all fine here.

Alone, Adrien awkwardly slid out the yo-yo, letting it lull and wave lazily. Adrien gave it a little spin, just getting used to the motion. Picturing Ladybug, easily spinning the flaming yo-yo in large, broad circle; he moved to try that. The twin nightmare scales whistled softly as they arced wide, going as big as Ladybug's loop. Only Adrien moved with to broad and eager a flick, easily knocking the spin out of whack. The yo-yo lightly bounced off his forehead and the blond stopped with an annoyed grunt.

Rubbing the spot, his lips pursed, Adrien squinted down at the trinket. Then persisted at it once more, trying to perfect the motion.

If he did this right, most of the dragons he came across he would be safe from. He wouldn't need Tikki to be there to be his constant escort, something he's sure the changewing would appreciate.

But he had to get this down first...

And still figure out how to appeal to Nooroo.

He thought they were friends!

But nope!

The little dragon didn't think so, and had fun playing keep away.

Like a cat...

How to bond with a cat...

Only cat he knew was Amber, Chloe's sweet ivory cat. But he's heard that cats could be difficult so Amber wasn't a good example-

He turned to a mew.

Speak of the cat, there was Amber now, eyeing him with her bright blue eyes, a little rolled up rag in her mouth. A homemade toy Chloe tried making her. The best the blonde Viking could do.

Amber thankfully loved it.

...Amber loved it.

And she was a cat.

Adrien paused, letting the yo-yo fall still, rocking slightly from the motion.

Amber blinked at him, ears perked up.

Rolling up the yo-yo, he drew near, cooing, "Hey Amber."

Amber gave a purring greeting, something that sounded like a "Burr?"

Adrien crouched before the cat, giving her head a scratch, earning a pleased purr. With Amber distracted, he reached for the toy. "I need to borrow that..."

Amber gave a start when she felt something grab her toy. Her eyes snapped open, meeting Adrien's gaze.

"Amber," he pleaded.

Her tail gave a twitch, her jaws clamped tightly on the toy.

"Pleeeeease," he pleaded, trying to gently tug the toy out of the cat's mouth.

Amber bid no.

She jerked away from him and tore off, leaving Adrien to pursue. "Amber!" he cried after her.

Not again...

* * *

Ladybug had her eyes set and narrowed as she worked, grinding away at the dragon nip she gathered while Tikki was away escorting Adrien here. That just left Nooroo to deal with. Drawn in by the nip, the little dragon kept trying to push his nose into her work. Ladybug just kept patiently pushing the dragon away, sliding him as far away as she could as she worked.

But Nooroo was a persistent little terror. He sunk his claws into the ground with each push, and as soon as her hand left him, he came scrambling back.

She just managed to stop him from nudging the bowl again with a single hand, huffing as she glared down at him.

Nooroo's nose twitched under her hand, huge pupils staring up at her.

"You do know this is not easy to gather up, right?" she huffed.

Nooroo chirped, and just stared at her with huge pupils.

Sighing, she caved and tossed a little portion of the nip away.

With a happy cry, Nooroo dove at, rolling and flopping about in the mass, purring and chirping happily.

With the terror occupied, Ladybug focused on her work once more.

Only to stop when she felt another nudge, this time at her thigh. She looked over to see Tikki back, her huge pupils set on the bowl. "Seriously?!" Ladybug grumbled, pushing Tikki's snout away.

"Working on nip?" Adrien asked as he drew around, head tilting to eye it, curiosity shining in his gaze.

"Yep," she confirmed, pointing at Tikki.

The changewing was thankfully more inclined to respect her wish than the terror, but that didn't stop the wishful dragon eyes locked Ladybug, pleading.

Ladybug quickly turned away before that stare could get her.

Tikki was not going to get her this time.

She would make sure of it.

She hoped.

Thankfully for Ladybug, Tikki was quick to give up. Instead she crawled over to Nooroo and rolled the little dragon away, happily flopping down on the small amount Ladybug tossed his away. Nooroo was not pleased. The dragon gave an annoyed cry, and dove at Tikki, biting and gnawing uselessly at Tikki's snout horn. The changewing just ignored the horn, preeening and happy.

Adrien watched in amusement, settling down beside Ladybug.

Ladybug continued, "With you being here now, I wanted to prepare more nip, just in case."

There were a good few dragons to deter and distract till they got used to this Viking.

"Good idea!" Adrien bid, pulling out wads of rolled up cloth.

Ladybug paused at the sight of those, blinking rapidly. "What are those?" she asked slowly, pointing at the sloppily made wads of... cloth she thinks? She,s he doesn't quite know what those are supposed to be.

"Cat toys!" Adrien explained, missing Ladybug's gaping stare. "My friend made them for her cat Amber! I kinda stole them. But I can use them for a few days before she notices!"

He jumped when Ladybug snatched the current wad out of his hand, looking over it critically. She mumbled, "This is so sloppily made."

"She'd be very offended to hear that," Adrien replied, raising a brow.

Chloe wasn't good at crafts, but she did love her little Amber and wanted the best for her. And to make sure her cat loved her. She did the best she could with what she had, and what she knew, but her skill lied more in dragon fighting than than crafting.

Her gaze so set and focused on this wad of clothes, Ladybug stood up, and went to her pile of trinkets, muttering to herself, her blue eyes locked on the wad.

Adrien peered at her, brow raised high.

It was just a wad of cloth, what was so off putting about it?

Shrugging, he pulled out another and threw it at Nooroo.

It flopped uselessly beside the terror, rolling slowly.

It was enough movement to catch Nooroo's attention. The terror paused, blinking rapidly at the move. Curious, the dragon hopped off Tikki to bat at the ball.

It gave a measly roll.

Nooroo gave a displeased hiss, then batted the ball away, swiping at it high enough that it went flying out of Ladybug's lair.

Adrien stared after it, lips pursed. Looking over to see Ladybug still busy, and Nooroo went back to chewing on Tikki's horn, trying to get her off the small bit of nip that was tossed. Not that Tikki was moving, too set and comfortable where she was.

Sighing, Adrien got up and went to get the wad Chloe made.

Well, with these not working, he could sneakily put them back before Chloe discovered they were gone.

As he slipped out of Ladybug's lair to get it, he was unaware of the bright eyes of a dangerous dragon watching him go, hidden high above in the trees. With a soft rumble, the dragon went after the oblivious Viking.

Back at the tinker pile, Ladybug stood up with a victorious cry.

"Here we go! This is much better." Pleased, she turned and tossed out a newly made toy. "And it'll help encourage the caat to keep mousing!"

It was now a fuzzy ball, made from a torn up pillow Nooroo had liked and stolen from a village, and had stashed it here. Nooroo instantly snapped to attention, watching that new ball go. With an eager cry, the terror went at it, happily bouncing the fuzzy ball about.

"If you want, I can make more and your friend's cat will like them more-" Ladybug faltered, blinking in surprise.

There was no Viking in her lair.

Adrien was gone. And in clear sight was his bag of things, with her yo-yo and nip bombs in clear sight, left behind by the Viking.

He was gone and unguarded.

"Thor's beard," she muttered, looking around wildly, rushing off in one random direction, trying to find Adrien. Where did he go?!

* * *

When Nooroo had tossed the wad away, Adrien found that the little dragon had thrown it far away enough that it rolled down a steep slope, and was now somewhere hidden at the bottom. With an annoyed purse of lips, Adrien slowly worked his way down, well aware that Chloe would be quite upset to find Amber's toys missing.

He could get away with them being gone for a few days, but lost forever?

Chloe would be sad.

And she would prick her fingers full of needle pokes again trying to make more.

Adrien would rather avoid that since she was frustrated and sore and kinda took that out on everyone around her.

But where could it be?

The underbrush was thick and tangled, making it hard to try and spot the grey wad.

Where was it?

Gripping vines, roots, and trunks of trees as he worked his way down, Adrien searched what he could, hoping that he would find it. During so, he missed his hunter, trailing behind him, watching him move slowly down the slope.

He didn't see the broad, long snout coming down behind him, with an overbite full of teeth. Lips curled, eyes narrowed, the back of a mouth glowing with hues golden flames.

Adrien gave an alarmed shout when a hot puff of smoke was blown at his head. So surprised, he lost his grip and had a short fall the rest of the way down hill, a laughing growl sounding above him. Groaning, he whipped around, tensing at what he saw.

Over him was a bright orange typhoomerang, with a white tipped tail, dark horns, and dark spines going down her back.

Adrien's never really came across one of these dragons before, but he's certainly seen it once, it was huge, flying over his first sailing ship, big enough that it could've easily snapped the ship he was on in two.

This one had to be young with how small it was, roughly half the nightmare's size.

But certainly still just as dangerous.

And it was coming at him!

Tensing, Adrien scrambled up, eager to flee as the dragon crawled down towards him, violet eyes laughing at his back. He wasn't able to get far when he had a hard shove at his back, sending him to the ground, and allowing the typhoomerang to come and loom over him, releasing a pleased rumble. Adrien covered his head, waiting for the flames or teeth to come down on him.

But the orange beast just nudged his back, curious about this new face hanging around. Then with it's warm, slick tongue, dragged it across the Viking's shoulder's and slowly slid it through his hair. Amused by his tense reaction, the dragon kept lapping at his head, messing up his hair all the more. Then the dragon saw something interesting, that it wanted.

The dragon's teeth latched onto his boot, trying to pull it off, and easily sliding Adrien off the ground. With an alarmed shout, Adrien rolled around, grabbing that boot, pleading, "Nononononononononooo."

Alix discovering him was one thing.

His father?

Gabriel the Cold was insist that he just train and spar in the village, specifically with Chloe since she was the best dragon fighter.

But being his childhood friend, she'd know that something was up.

There was no way he was disappearing into the woods to train and practice dragon fighting solo.

She'd be suspicious and wouldn't be able to help herself but snoop and...

It would just not end well.

And it would all be because a dragon ruined his boots.

Creatures Adrien should have limited contact with.

But the typhoomerang didn't understand this. And probably wouldn't care. It just wanted the fuzzy boot because it was a fuzzy boot, and the dragon never came across a fuzzy boot before. How strange it was! A perfect new toy from this new human.

If he would give it up...

With a rumble, the dragon tried to shake Adrien off, tried to get the boot.

But Adrien persisted, unwilling to give up his boot, much to the dragon's annoyance.

"TRIXX!"

The dragon paused at the familiar voice, turning just in time to see Ladybug hop down, whipping out something dark. With a soft click, the dragon watched in wonder as a flaming circle flared before the small, red dressed human.

"Look at the pretty!" Ladybug called as she spun it.

Trixx dropped Adrien, ignoring his "oof".

It was so shiny she wanted it.

"You want it?" Ladybug asked the dragon, slowly backing away.

Trixx made an agreeable click, yes she wanted the shiny, it was time for Ladybug to give her the shiny.

It was the perfect, latest toy for Ladybug to give her.

Ladybug slowly turned her body, calling out, "You want the shiny?"

Trixx crouched low, body wiggling and ready.

"Go get it!" Ladybug cried, twisting around and throwing the flaming circle out as far as she could, slamming it into the dirt and killing the flame with the soil. Not that Trixx noticed. The dragon jumped over Ladybug who crouched to avoid her, eager to hunt and find that shiny.

Ladybug stood up with a sigh, staring after the young dragon. Then turned to Adrien, a scolding ready.

Only to blink in surprise when Adrien sat up with a pout, his hair a blond rat's nest from Trixx's affectionate assault.

Snickering, she helped him up, offering, "That's Trixx, the residential troublemaker. Who I kinda spoil with toys."

"Which is why she tried to take the boot," Adrien guessed, standing up. He lifted his foot, trying to check the damage. He pursed his lips. There were a few poked holes.

Spotting that, Ladybug reassured, "I can fix that."

"Please do," Adrien pleaded.

* * *

"Amber is going to love this," Adrien reassured, throwing the ball out for Nooroo to chase, beaming as the terror happily rolled it back.

"They're easy to make," Ladybug reassured. "And you could pass them off as toys being sold by a traveling vendor."

And Chloe loves gifts. Though Adrien will keep one around just because Chloe was so proud to make these.

And it'll be all the better when Ladybug got his boot mended.

A boot that was almost done by looks of it.

So while Ladybug worked, Adrien was happily bonding with Nooroo, the terror pleased to have a fun ball to bat and chase. It was looking up for him, he was going to befriend the terror.

And then Ladybug was probably going to move him onto another dragon.

Adrien suspected Tikki was going to be the next, but maybe it was Trixx?

She seemed to like him already, though at the cost of messing up his hair. It took a good half hour using a stream near Ladybug's lair to wash his hair and try to fix it as best he could. Typhoomerange spit was a bit tricky and slick to work with...

"Alright," Ladybug called, handing him the mended boot. "That should do it. Good as new."

Pleased, Adrien slipped it on, looking over to see that yes, no more poked holes.

Thankfully Trixx's bite was only hard enough to puncture just a bit below the surface of the boot. Not near his sensitive and delicate foot. The boot had met it's purpose. Viking boots were thick and tough, made to stand against dragon teeth as best it could and protect Viking feet.

"Thank you Ladybug," he bid, rolling his toes about inside the boot, happy. Lightly, he asked, "Anything you can't make?"

Ladybug paused, considering this. She admitted, "I have yet to make clothes dragons can't rip."

"Even this?" he asked, reaching over and lightly touching the scaly suit she wore.

"Even this," she said, "changewing scales are weaker than most dragon scales, they break easier. I got to be careful because I can't take claws or fangs. I probably have as much defense as a Viking would dressed in thick hide... probably even less."

Which was why she probably clung so closely to Tikki.

The changewing was fast, and she could disappear alongside her.

And it just added to the need to have some counters to her limited defense.

"Its fun though," Ladybug commented, turning her gaze to Tikki, still enjoying the small bit of nip tossed out. "It's a lot of fun experimenting, tinkering, figuring out..."

"And useful," Adrien added.

Ladybug's eyes gleamed, echoing this.

But before she could reply or even start to ramble on about the fun of her creations, Tikki's head shot up, pupils thin with alarm.

The two humans gave a start at the sudden move, watching the changewing look around wildly, her antennas rising up and setting on the ground. Ladybug tensed, sucking in a fearful breath. "Adrien-" Ladybug started.

Only Tikki moved, running on pure instinct.

She dove up, grabbed Ladybug and flew higher up to the tree, unthinkingly leaving the startled blond behind.

Adrien stared after them, surprised and alarmed.

Tikki turned back down, blue eyes wide with alarm, realizing that she left the other human down there, so used to having only grab one; having only one to watch out for.

She had left Adrien on the ground alone.

Just as he was about to call out to them, he stopped, going tense.

There was a soft sound filling the air, soft enough that it was barely audible.

But Adrien heard it.

He was able to hear it.

These soft sounds, sounding like incoherent babbles, soft whispers that made no sense, that had no meaning.

It made him think back to the dragon books he flipped through, all the recorded encounters, the recorded kills.

 _"...whispering was the last thing a Viking hears."_

Adrien moved on instinct, rolling away and pressing himself against the large tree's roots.

The whispering like sounds grew louder, the earth where he and Ladybug used to be moving shifting slightly, moving. It broke with a gasping burst and a long, dark form slipped out.

Adrien felt cold as he stared up, taking in the long, spiky form of the monster before him, with a mouth and throat full of rotating fangs, rolling soil down and working it's jaw about. Ghostly pale eyes peered out blindly, squinting in the bright light.

But it wasn't enough to make the large whispering death sink back down.

The snout flared and twitched, the whispering death clicking loudly as it paused and smelled the air. One large milky eye dipping towards Adrien.

Akuma smelled him.

She knew where he was.

 _"RUN!"_ Ladybug shouted somewhere from above, her voice tense and full of fear.

Adrien snapped up and sped away, just in time as Akuma snapped down at where he was with lightning speed, like a snake flashing fangs. Jaws withdrew, full of bark and soil, rolling about as she swallowed what she ate. She turned after the fleeing Viking, crying out a screech as she pursued him, her long spiky body twisting about.

Up high in the trees, Ladybug struggled against her scared, frozen changewing's grip, scared for the Viking, hating this fact that he was on his own.

And once again he left his bag.

He was defenseless.


	7. Chapter 7

Ladybug twisted and struggled in Tikki's grasp, the changewing a bit frozen with fear, aware that if she let go, her human would charge off to face Akuma. A dragon that has come with too many close calls.

Tikki crooned pleadingly, adjusting her claws on her human.

But Ladybug would not be swayed.

With a mighty shove, she broke out of Tikki's claws and slid down the tree, jumping for the bag Adrien left behind it.

With a fast grab, she tore off, pursuing them.

Behind her, Tikki worriedly drooped, her long antennas curling in her discomfort.

With a loud rumble, Tikki went after, disappearing among the trees.

* * *

In the rare times a whispering death is encountered, it is calculated by Vikings that survival with this dragon is slim. There have been enough recordings to largely back this calculation. Plus the biology of the whispering death backed this enough. While these dragons can grow very large, due to their long, snake like bodies, they have an easier time than most large dragon breeds in getting around. Being burrowers was a large factor that helped these dragon sneak around undetected, even if they were big enough to swallow a grown Viking whole.

And they were one of the greatest ambushers of dragons, most Vikings would notice the whispering sounds they made long before they attacked. Most Vikings were very unlucky, having large jaws full of rotating teeth come clamping down on them from below.

To add to the danger, whispering deaths weren't limited to hunting underground.

They were excellent chasers, making use of their long snake like body to dart across the ground, the many spines on their body helping push them along; and their wings could provide an extra burst of speed with pushes or flaps.

Adrien remembered in his readings that the best chance of survival Vikings could find when being chased by a whispering death was to duck into a small area, and pray that they don't breath a flame.

In this forest though, Adrien found that he was a bit pressed for time trying to find a small face to squeeze into.

Akuma was a snapping rush at his back, her loud jaw banging out, loud and close enough to be thunder in his ears. Echoing it was the loud rattle of her body, the many spikes that went along her form rising and falling with her movements, jerking and clicking with her surging snaps, rolling with her large body as it danced and rose and arced with her pursuits.

He needed to get her off his tail.

He needed to take advantage of her rush.

Looking around wildly as he ran, Adrien spotted a pond laid out below; a large bowl against a ridge. With a sharp turn, Adrien boldly jumped for the water, letting Akuma speed past, ramming her large face into a thick trunk.

Cold water rushed and slammed against Adrien as he dropped into it, sinking down a little, feeling the rush of bubbles tickle his skin and curl against his clothes. Adrien squirmed, swimming for the surface. With a loud gasp, blinking his hair and water out of his eyes, he swam for a large rock, wincing as waves rolled and pushed at him. He grabbed the slick surface, holding it and struggling to pull himself up, resisting the water that tried to pull him back.

Couching and shivering, Adrien shook his head, sweeping heavy bangs aside.

A loud growl sounded above and Adrien whipped around, freezing.

Akuma loomed above, pale eyes narrowing as she hovered at the rum. She snorted, nostrils flaring, her spikes rising.

Adrien stiffened, feeling a different sort of cold.

She was trying to see if he was down there.

She could probably still smell him.

Adrien looked to the bank, seeing it was a bit far, that she would be onto him before he could even reach it.

Akuma gurgled aloud, and fearfully, Adrien watched her slide down, drooping down into the big pond. Adrien gripped the rock, standing firm against the cold, harsh splash, the waves trying to pull him back into the water.

For a moment, he sat stiff and cold, heart pounding heavy and hard in his chest, his gaze turned to the dark grey water, watching white foam roll with the waves.

Where was she?

He could faintly hear her, her muffled growls rising through the water, feeling the water move and shift with her large form curling about.

He caught sight of her when her spines slid up along the water's surface, sliding along the waves like a tightly packed school of sharks. Adrien scooted as far from the water as he could, watching those spikes slide about, drifting closer and closer to him.

The rock he was on rattled as Akuma slid by, nudging it.

He gripped the rock, trying to keep from slipping into the water.

She would hear him if he fell in.

She would feel him thrashing about in the water, stirring it up.

There was a loud splash, jerking him to look over, catching sight of a large log rolling up and sloshing about in the water, trying to balance itself. Looking up, Adrien caught sight of Ladybug, clutching the branches of a hedge, keeping herself from falling in.

Beside him, Akuma paused, then snapped forward, grabbing that log in her jaws and breaking it apart in shards.

Akuma made a displeased cry, nostrils flaring, turning her pasty eyes up.

Just in time to meet the nip bomb Ladybug threw down at her.

With a screech, Akuma twisted about, shaking her head wildly, sneezing and hacking at the nip filling her nose.

Taking advantage of Akuma's distraction, Ladybug jumped down, kicking off Akuma's head, and diving close to where Adrien was. He reached for her as she slid closer, pulling her out and onto his rock. "Ladybug," he started to say, only to get pushed back.

"Go!" she ordered.

With disgruntled cries and growls, Akuma kept twisting about, bashing her face into the water, trying to get the nip off. Only the water just made it sticky, clinging to her nose. She gave another sneeze and spikes flew off with the heave. Moving fast Ladybug pushed Adrien off the rock, falling after him into the water.

Adrien burst up, heading towards the bank.

Ladybug stumbled after him, hand on her shoulder.

Looking over to help her out, Adrien froze at the spike hanging out of her shoulder, a spike that had punctured through the scaly attire she wore. "Ladybug-"

With one shaky hand, she pushed him forward, hissing, "Move!"

Adrien did so, following her as she raced past him, one hand at her shoulder, trying to hold it still and not jostle it as she went.

All the while, Adrien's mind flew, trying to remember if whispering death spikes were venomous.

They were distantly related to nadders and nadder spikes had bits of venom that made prey clumsy.

Did whispering death also have that?

He glanced back, not seeing Akuma pursuing them. She was probably still working on getting the nip off. "Ladybug," he called, reaching for her. They had to get that treated. Only she danced out of reach, stressing, "Not yet!" She insisted with a visible wince, "Just a little further. Almost there!"

"But Akuma's not-"

There was a _boom_ in the distance, and a tree shuddered behind them.

"Keep going," Ladybug stressed, her grip on her shoulder tightening. "We need to-"

She was cut off by a loud rattle, and there was Akuma, bursting for with a screech. Ladybug grimaced and hurried forward, heading for a large, familiar wall. Adrien followed, realizing it was the wall she had fallen down when she had agreed to his deal. A wall that just shaped a caging tunnel. They'd be trapped.

"Ladybug!" he called. "We got too-"

A blaze of fire shot past him, making Adrien jerk to the side.

With wide eyes he watched the blaze hit Ladybug's back, sending her pitching forward with a grunt. He rushed to her, eyeing the shard, how the end was melted down. Ladybug jerked away, warning, "Don't touch my back. You'll burn your hand." She rose up, grabbing his wrist and pulling him along down this caging tunnel, trying to working with her shaky legs. She spared a fast, wary glance back, grimacing.

Akuma was pissed.

She wasn't going to be relented.

Backing this fact, Akuma dove after them, gurgling and snarling, with nip still smeared on her face, making her pause long enough to sneeze. Hearing them scuttle away, she pursued, jaws opening wide and ready.

They all paused a loud, enraged cry.

From nothing Tikki burst forward, jaws open wide. She grabbed at Akuma, sinking her claws into the whispering death's cheek. Akuma screeched, shaking her head about, snapping her jaws as she tried to rid the changewing off her cheek.

Ladybug twisted around, fearful and frantic. "Tikki!"

Akuma moved slam her cheek to the wall, and Tikki jumped off before the blow, crawling away, turning only to spit at Akuma, her saliva dark and steaming. Akuma hissed, rearing back and opening her jaws wide, her many teeth rotating. Her long body curved towards Tikki, spikes raised and ready to puncture the soft bodied dragon.

Tikki jumped away from those spikes, wide eyed and unnerved.

She disappeared when Akuma drew near, but there was no hiding from a dragon that hunted with her nose.

Akuma dove for the changewing, pursuing her when she scuttled away.

Akuma stopped when a rock hit her eye, earning an annoyed hiss from the agitated dragon.

She turned to the humans, clacking her many teeth.

Ladybug crouched down, grabbing another rock while Adrien threw another to Akuma, hitting her lip. When Akuma charged at them, Adrien shoved Ladybug down and tore off, leading the whispering death away, and forcing Ladybug to sit still, less she rising up to those slashing spikes. He ignored her shouts after him, just focusing on keeping ahead of the furious dragon.

Adrien tripped, and tumbled down a slight slope, bumping his head against a rock. The Viking tensed, groaning as he went for his head, feeling a bump starting to rise and throb at his temple.

He sharply looked up at a loud crackle, something that sounded like a laugh to his ears.

Akuma loomed over him, her wings spread wide, blocking out the sun, leaning only her dark form to completely cover over him.

Akuma dove down, jaws spread wise for the Viking.

Adrien uselessly raised his hand up, a wasted, instinctive effort to stop those jaws.

Before they could hit, something large and dark snapped at Akuma's head, a heavy form passing over Adrien, shoving the whispering death away. Adrien curled, trying to avoid the heavy, sharp claws that stomped around him, carrying the large form over.

Akuma twisted about, jaws snapping, her spiky form slamming into the large beast's side.

With a grunt, she was freed, sliding away and turning over with a hiss.

Adrien peeked up, seeing the large form of a black monstrous nightmare standing over him.

Plagg.

 _"Plagg's one of the few dragons that can hold against Akuma..."_

That's why Ladybug wanted to come here.

This was where Plagg was.

Plagg who is more than willing to face Akuma.

The nightmare released a large, booming snarl, slamming his claws on the ground fiercely, daring the death to come at him. Akuma snapped her jaws back, sliding slowly around the nightmare, her battle giving off a warning rattle.

Unafraid, Plagg released a spark in his mouth, and green flames flashed over his dark body, hot and lovely over his dark form. Adrien pressed low to the ground, wincing at the flare of heat. Hot enough that they could melt the tips of Akuma's spikes Adrien was sure.

And Akuma knew.

She released an angry hiss, creeping back when Plagg approached, green eyes locked on her, growling.

Akuma dove forward, jaws open for Plagg's head. Plagg rose up, avoiding her. Opening his own jaws, he slammed his long fangs down on her snout, pushing her down and holding as she thrashed and jerked against him. Adrien rolled out from under Plagg, avoiding his heavy claws and watching the two large dragons tangle and shove at each other.

Plagg slammed Akuma down to the ground, pushing her along the ground, the green flames flaring and dancing on his body he moved. With a hard jab at his belly, he drew away from Akuma, letting the whispering death dart. With frustrated screeches, she fled away, leaving them alone in the tunneling ravine.

Growling after her, Plagg turned, locking his green eyes on Adrien.

Adrien tensed, watching the nightmare eye him.

Rumbling, Plagg drew near, green flames still on him. He snorted hot air down at Adrien, eyes narrowing.

Adrien peered back, heart pounding as he watched and waited for this dragon to move.

Then with a gurgle, Plagg shook his body, killing the fire. With disinterest, he turned and prowled off, leaving the wide eyed Viking to stare after him. He jumped when a hand came to rest on his shoulder, meeting Ladybug wincing stare. "You ok?" she asked. Tikki peeked up over her, eyeing the Viking.

"Ye-yeah," he reassured.

Laybug stared after the nightmare, sighing. "Well, we don't have to worry about Plagg coming at you." She carefully leaned on the wall, hand still to her shoulder, wincing. Tikki set her snout on Adrien's middle, helping him up when he hugged her snout.

"Your shoulder," he uttered, coming near.

"There's a friend we can visit," she reassured, giving Adrien a start when she moved to her mask, jerking it about, trying to remove it. With a little pop, the changewing scale covered mask came off, revealing a girl with dark hair, faint freckles, sky blue eyes, and a soft, curving face. He stared, surprised, mind drawing a blank. Ladybug ignored him, eyeing her mask with a frown. He noticed then that it was damaged, a bit of a crack in it.

Noticing his curious stare, Ladybug told him, "Broken scales won't camouflage."

"O-oh," he murmured, still unsure what to really say to this unmasked Ladybug.

Tikki clicked aloud, giving Ladybug a gentle nudge.

"I know, I know," Ladybug eased, moving around and climbing onto Tikki's back. Turning to Adrien, she patted the back of the changewing, beckoning him to sit behind her.

Dumbly Adrien uttered, "Ride Tikki?"

"We're off to see a queen," she told him, "you can only reach her through another dragon."

"A queen?" Adrien repeated.

"A queen," she confirmed.

* * *

Adrien tried not to clutch Marinette too tightly, but it was hard not too. The changewing easily carried them both along the forest, mixing up running with soaring, giving Adrien a little thrilling jolt each time she went airborne.

This was how Ladybug traveled around all the time, riding Tikki around the woods.

It was amazing.

And it'd be even more amazing if she still didn't have that shard in her shoulder.

Tikki moved as smoothly as she could, mindful of her hurt human. She didn't stop for anything or anyone, set on heading to this "Queen".

A queen Adrien didn't know and Ladybug wouldn't tell him, more focused on making sure her shoulder doesn't wind up too jostled. Adrien didn't push, focusing on staying on Tikki and making sure Ladybug was steady, and holding onto her mask for her. He glanced down at the mask a few times. The detailed scales skillfully stitched onto a thick and slightly heavy fabric, perfect head protection. Only, outside the crack near the left eye hole.

According to Ladybug, now it won't disappear.

She'll need to mend it when she was back home.

Tikki gave an announcing growl, pausing long enough to draw these two in.

Adrien eagerly leaned over, looking to see a huge crack in the ground.

Ladybug dropped down from Tikki, sliding into that crack. Then she reached over, trying to tug the shard out.

Tikki growled out, reaching out with one of her antennas. It wrapped around the shard and with a sharp tug, brought it out, earning a hiss from Ladybug.

Adrien slid off the changewing and slid down to her side, asking, "You ok?"

"I'll be fine," she said, "I think it just went an inch in."

"Maaaybe a little deeper," he bid.

"It'll be fine," she insisted, then gave Adrien a start when she started to tug her suit up, flashing a small bit of a pale belly at him.

Adrien quickly turned away, cheeks flushed.

Ladybug paused, then made her own embarrassed sound. "Sorry, dragons don't really care about changing..."

"It's fine," he uttered, voice a little embarrassingly high.

There was a rustle of clothes, and Adrien blinked when Ladybug started to whistle. He turned when he heard a _plop_ , blinking at Ladybug sitting on the ground, clutching her suit to her chest for decency. He raised a brow at how she seemed to be clutching it, looking ready for herself. Rubbing his neck, he asked, "Should I check-"

"The queen will take care of it," she said.

Who was the queen. As far as Adrien could see, there was no queen-

There was a faint _boom_. Adrien gave a start, turning his eyes to the crack, where it went deeper. Slowly, heavy steps grew louder as something drew near, there was a faint sound, that sounded like a mix of a growl and a buzz. There was a faint glow of gold, and Adrien drew away, watching a long golden dragon rise up, turning glowing blue eyes down to Ladybug, baring her bare shoulders to the dragon, leaning forward.

Adrien stared.

A foreworm queen.

There was a fireworm queen in the area.

Adrien was nervous to think of how big a hive she had here.

The large dragon glanced to him, clicking loudly.

Tikki responded with her own growls, shuffling on her claws.

The fireworm queen snorted, lowering her broad maw down to Ladybug.

Adrien tensed, waiting to see what the dragon would do.

The queen's tongue, slick with steaming, golden saliva, slid out and brushed over the small wound on Ladybug's shoulder. The girl tensed at the contact, gritting her teeth and gripping the suit, waiting for the queen to be done, slathering her wound with steaming saliva. The queen drew away, leaving a hot smear of gold on Ladybug's shoulder.

Licking her lips and snorting, the large fireworm rumbled. Then slowly, she sunk back down into the ground.

With the dragon gone, Adrien rushed to her side, dropping to his knees by Ladybug, pressing, "You ok?"

"It's hot," she uttered with a clear wince. "But yep, I'll be fine. Just, just got to wait a few hours." Looking up, she asked Tikki, "Think you can find me some spider webs?"

Tikki gave a confirming growl, turning and slipping off.

"Spider webs?" Adrien repeated, eyeing the honey smeared over her shoulder.

"A natural wound dresser," she bid, sitting up with a slight wince. She reached for Tikki as the changewing back back with the cleanest webs she could find. Ladybug checked it over for any spiders or insect carcasses before asking Adrien, "Think you can help me set this on my shoulder?"

He agreed, fall her instructions on getting the web securely on her shoulder, Tikki looming near, observing, ready to go and fetch more.

When it was done, Adrien pulled Ladybug up, bidding, "Thanks for coming to my rescue, Ladybug."

She blinked in slight surprise, then smiled, taking her mask back from him. "Anytime," she promised, then shoots him a bit of a look. "Be sure to have some nip on you at all times."

"Oh I definitely will."

* * *

 **Honey has healing qualities, and manuka honey specifically, can be put on open wounds and burns to help heal wounds. They help prevent the spread of infections and bacteria, eliminate wound odors, the risk of scarring is reduced, and reduces risk of inflammatory.**

 **Webs are another natural healer that has been used to dress wounds and help with healing. They're rich in vitamin K, which speeds up the clotting process, and can be a strong dresser once dried. And it's it's easy to remove, going into the water breaks it up.**

 **Fireworms are like the bees of HTTYD world, and they make their own sort of hot honeycombs, and can heal other dragons; but healing honey that can be used on humans? Not covered. For this fic, I'll have it so.**


	8. Chapter 8

**FANART**

 **by zebrea-rin on tumblr!**

 **post/156117240602/i-love-punch-lords-latest-fic-loyal-chevalier-and**

* * *

"I notice you seem to be going into the woods a lot these days."

Adrien tensed a little at his father's voice, looking up to see Gabriel eyeing him, restitching the thick hide a dragon had ripped through. With a smile, Adrien confirmed, "I have been adventuring in the woods a bit."

"The dragon infested woods," Gabriel clarified.

"I've been practicing, dragon fighting," Adrien said.

Gabriel hummed, raising a high brow at that. Adrien fidgeted in his seat. Gabriel spares him a glance. "Are you really?"

Adrien looked back to his little book, tapping his charcoal stick to the page, frowning a bit. Adrien confessed, "Dragonology. Been dabbling in dragonology."

Gabriel hummed. "A deadly interest."

"A bit," Adrien agreed, recalling his first encounter with Akuma.

That was quite a rush.

"You going to write your own book?" Gabriel asked, tugging the thread, closing up the tear. Adrien made an interested hum, perking at the idea.

"Not too bad an idea," Adrien praised, "how to tame dragons."

Gabriel paused, sparing Adrien an odd glance. "Taming dragons?" Gabriel repeated.

"There are many promising possibilities," Adrien pointed out. His father hummed lowly. Adrien eagerly listed off, "Shed nadder spikes would make good arrow heads, nightmare scales could help keep a smithy's fire going. Terrors could be good mousers. And-"

"And how do you propose to tame these beasts?" Gabriel asked. "These large, intelligent, fire breathing animals? Having them live well in our village, make sure they don't go at our livestock, burn down our homes..."

"...Working on it."

Gabriel made an unimpressed hum. Sparing him a slight look, Gabriel voiced, "I thought you were perhaps going to delve into alchemy? That seems more your forte."

"Dragons have always been a fascination," Adrien told him. "I would like to explore more-"

"And that would be fine," Gabriel cut in, "if you weren't so easily distracted."

"I'm not _that_ bad," Adrien mumbled.

"I would reevaluate those facts."

Adrien pouted. Gabriel continued, "You do good work for us as an alchemist. By extension, you are a big help in dragon raids. You've made antidotes, concoctions, salves, exploding jellies, and jellies that have helped us trap dragons. You may not be physically helping in a fight, which is desirable, but you are a big enough help from the back."

The boy pursed his lips. It was caging, Adrien wanted to say.

He did enjoy mixing herbs, shaping up the right ingredients to make what was needed. He enjoyed drifting into the woods to get what he needed. But it wasn't a passion. It was nice that it helped, but it didn't feel like... it felt like he could do more.

Adrien felt that his focus was on this possibility of taming dragons.

And with Ladybug, this was his chance to really explore.

But it was something his father didn't need to know. Not till Adrien was more solid on this, had an actual solution to dragon taming. That would just come with time. And help from a very curious dark haired girl with sky blue eyes.

Still, to reassure his father, Adrien said, "I'll consider it."

Gabriel nodded, content. With his task done, Gabriel stood and left the room, leaving Adrien to his own work. Gabriel started to gather what he needed, just in case, two weeks worth of a trip. It's never known with sailing how long a trip could go. A week's sail can easily wind up longer. Seas were an untamable beast that showed favor to none.

But Kubdel had eyed the skies and consulted with his runes and gems.

He predicted smooth sailings to Village Itaal. No dragon attacks. No storms. Calm waves as calm as they can be. Would it be so though, none could know. Gabriel's late wife certainly hadn't her predictions go as expected, and her ship fell to the hungry sea. Since then, whenever sailing, Gabriel took precautions. The few times Adrien goes sailing, he stresses precautions to his son.

There's always a risk with the sea.

It can be arguably be far more dangerous than any dragon they encounter.

Personally, Gabriel would rather not go sailing to Itaal at all. But Andre pushed and asked, wanting Gabriel there with the meeting with the Rossi Chief.

 _"I'll need my council. And Kubdel does better as a stand in Chief."_

Gabriel sighed, turning to the door when he heard a knock. He opened it to find Chloe Bourgeois on the other side, holding a little furry ball that Gabriel had at first thought was a mouse. Just as Chloe moved to come past him, Gabriel stopped her.

Chloe turned to him sharply, golden brow raised.

"Keep an eye on Adrien," Gabriel requested. "He's going into those woods a lot lately."

Chloe raised a brow, blinking in surprise. "Fine," she uttered, prowling past him and heading for the kitchen, loudly demanding, "Where did Amber get this?"

Satisfied, Gabriel left as Adrien stuttered and babbled out a speculated answer.

* * *

Looking back, Adrien carefully made his way through the woods, making sure he wasn't being followed. The last thing he wanted was another run in with Akuma. After the fight with Plagg, it seemed unlikely that she'd come back so soon but, whispering death held bitter grudges. And usually, they were recorded to pursue those grudges.

Thus far, no Akuma has come for an attack.

Adrien took this positively.

For now, he's safe from the violent death.

Now he just needed to get to Ladybug's lair with no issue.

And wonder if she was going to wear a helmet today or not.

He still couldn't wrap his mind around her taking the helmet off.

It was sort of... ethereal to see Ladybug without a helmet covering her features. He now had a face to those sky blue eyes. A face that was as pale as the moon, with faint freckles dotted across her nose and touching the edge of her upper cheeks, sort of like little stars. Had dark hair that gleamed blue in the light, and was a little matted and messy and...

It made him wonder all the more what happened.

What lead a Viking to live with dragons?

What lead to her wearing a mask, stealing from villages, and living up to the myth Ladybug?

Which probably wasn't even her real name now that Adrien thought about it. But she never corrected him on calling her Ladybug.

He wondered if he'd ask, would she tell him her real name?

Likely it was going to be another mystery for him to peek int-

A cry jerked his attention up and Adrien stumbled when something small and purple collided with his chest. "Woah! Hi Nooroo!" Adrien laughed, holding the small dragon up, wincing a little when Nooroo's long claws dug into his shoulders, the terror cooing and clicking as it crawled over him, big eyes looking him over.

Adrien suspected for food.

He reached up, feeling the soft scales that framed Nooroo's jaw, apologizing, "Sorry Bud, no jerky on me today."

Sniffing him, Nooroo seemed to caught wind of this, and gave Adrien a displeased hiss. Then he jumped off Adrien's shoulders and flew off, leaving Adrien alone to continue to Ladybug's lair.

Slipping in, Adrien jerked back when a large orange body darted over him. He looked up and met Trixx's amused purple eyes peering down at him, the typhoomrang grinning at him toothily. Eyeing her warily, Adrien gave her snout a shove, giving him a little more space. With a rumble, Trixx turned and darted away, just in time to avoid Tikki who pursued her, her blue eyes lit up playfully.

Peering after the two curiously, Adrien turned and crept in, easily catching sight of Ladybug.

There she was, perched in a tree, working on new mask.

She was still unmasked.

Heart skipping a little beat, Adrien grinned and drew near, calling out, "Hey Ladybug!"

She gave a start, looking up and meeting his gaze.

She gave him a small smile, he was actually seeing Ladybug's smile, not just her eyes; and she waved, calling out, "Hey Viking." Setting her mask down, she slid down the tree, landing before him, her dark hair bouncing with the move. Shoulders set, hands to her hips, she looked him in the eyes and stated, "I got a task for you."

He blinked, raising a brow. "A task?" he repeated.

She nodded, waving him to her little storage area. "Tikki and I made a little trip last night," she said, missing Adrien's concerned frown. "And I need you to make a delivery."

She turned and presented Adrien the biggest wheel of cheese he's ever seen.

And maybe the stinkiest.

He took a step back with a verbal wince, hand flying to his nose. "That's strong," he uttered.

With an amused smile, she confirmed, "The stinkier the better. Plagg loves stinky cheese." She held the wheel out to him. "You're going to give this to Plagg, a thank you for his help against Akuma. And a bit of a test to see you on your own with a dragon."

Wrinkling his nose, he took the big block, a little surprised at the weight of it. Turning to her, he asked, "How did you find out Plagg's love of, well, cheese?"

"I'm a bit fond of cheese," she said, "and I met Plagg when I was snacking on some. He tried to take it from me. Cheese has lead to a pretty solid alliance between us. I get him some, he watches out for me and Tikki."

Adrien nodded, drawing the cheese closer to carry it better.

Still not moving yet though, he frowned as he eyed her, asking, "Your shoulder ok?"

With a grin, she reassured, patting his shoulder, making Adrien jump a little, "It'll be better by tomorrow." Sparing a glance up, she gave him a light push, warning, "Now I'd go and deliver that cheese. Trixx is rather fond of cheese and isn't above stealing it."

Adrien tensed, and turned and looked up seeing Trixx eye him, purple eyes shining. He turned his body away, narrowing his eyes at the typhoomrang.

The dragon released something of a cackle, wiggling on her perch.

And quickly darted away as Tikki dove at her, tail flicking playfully.

With Trixx distracted, Adrien quickly turned and hurried away.

Hopefully he'll get to Plagg before Trixx decided to come after him.

* * *

As Ladybug predicted and warned, Trixx was going to make this a challenge.

Adrien was nearly halfway to where he thought Plagg's lair was when he heard a loud snap behind him. He stopped, and slowly turned to see Trixx looming over him, a toothy smile on her maw.

Adrien tightened his grip on the cheese, narrowing his eyes at the dragon. "Triiiiixx," Adrien called out, "nooooo."

Trixx shuffled on her perch, sounding like she was laughing at Adrien's tenseness.

Adrien took a step away, his gaze locked on Trixx, very aware that the dragon was interested in the cheese he carried.

Trixx was aware that he was aware.

With an amused rumble, the dragon slowly crept down, purple eyes locked on him.

With a grimace, Adrien took the most logical course of action.

He turned and fled away, racing towards where he was sure Plagg would be.

With a loud cry, Trixx pursued, eager to play with this game of keep away.

Adrien stumbled when Trixx landed on the ground, and pursued him, snapping at his back, trying to nose him over and get the cheese. Adrien scrambled to keep ahead of her, to escape her nudges. Thinking fast, Adrien brought out a nip bomb and threw it out randomly. Trixx paused, her purple eyes following the small ball, her nose catching the slight scent from it.

With a pleased gurgle, the dragon stopped and pursued the nip bomb, which burst and broke, leaving the heavenly scent of dragon nip against a tree.

Cooing, Trixx nuzzled and rubbed against the tree, preening.

And completely ignoring the escaping Viking.

Adrien slowed down, breathing a little hard, but grinning all the while, pleased with his success. Rolling his shoulders, he resumed his pace, eager to meet this challenge, deliver the cheese, and impress and connect with Plagg.

Especially since he came and saved them from Akuma.

Slipping into the ravine where Plagg had come and saved them, Adrien looked around for the nightmare.

He found the spines Akuma left in that struggle.

Charred stains one the wall and ground from wild fire.

Dents and scratches from dragon claws and spikes from the struggle.

Adrien even found a few scales from Ladybug's mask that had fallen off.

No Plagg.

Frowning, he called out, "Helloooooo. Plagg?" He tilted his head, listening. "You around?" He held up the cheese, calling out, "I got you something."

There was a heavy step behind him, and Adrien turned, jumping just in time to see the dark dragon loom down, green eyes bright against his black scales. Plagg sniffed loudly, rumbling out and reaching for the cheese in Adrien's arms. Adrien quickly held it out, mindful of Plagg's long curving teeth, allowing the dragon to gobble of the soft food, releasing a pleased hum.

Cautiously, Adrien reached up, resting his hand on Plagg's maw, feeling warm, coarse scales under his palm. Plagg rumbled, turning his head about, allowing the Viking better access to his chin, allowing this boy to scratch his jaw.

Adrien had the biggest smile on his lips, green eyes shining in wonder.

He was petting a monstrous nightmare.

A monstrous nightmare was letting him pet him.

On his own, no Ladybug to manipulate or make this dragon allow the boy to pet him.

This was so amazing!

Adrien stumbled when Plagg leaned down into Adrien's caress, rumbling loudly, making Adrien's body vibrate and rattle from the power of the dragon's hum.

Adrien drew closer, lightly pressing his forehead against the dragon's maw, reaching further under the dragon's maw, exploring, testing to see what pleased the dragon.

If only his village saw him now, petting one of the largely viewed nastiest, short tempered dragons in the world.

They probably wouldn't believe him.

Far above Adrien, high in the trees, Ladybug was lounged across Tikki's back, smiling braodly as she watched the Viking pet and humor the nightmare.

Things were looking promising.

* * *

Gabriel very, very disliked sailing.

The heavy lurch of the ship that left him unsteady, the slap of misty salt in his face, the cold wind, the dreary clouds that almost always covered the sky, or the blinding sun that rarely flared over the waters, it's light reflecting off the surface and blinding the unfortunate fools that got caught in the shine.

He had to be one of the few Vikings that just didn't take to the sea.

It was a fact he didn't take pride in, but it was something he couldn't change.

He didn't enjoy being out on the open waters.

He could live without sailing ever.

Even more so since his wife was lost to the sea.

Gabriel would rather he and Adrien had no part with the sea.

But having such a high position in Franc, Gabriel was expected to help the Chief however he can.

Meaning he had to sometimes join him on a voyage to other villages.

And today Chief Andre intended to see Itaal. To talk to Chief Rossi. About what Gabriel wasn't sure. All he got was that Andre had received a letter asking for an audience.

Sighing, Gabriel gripped the wooden ridge of the ship, trying to move with the rock, trying to keep his balance.

They were almost there.

They were almost at Itaal.

The journey was almost over.

With a grimace, he looked to the horizon, trying to find a point to focus on, also keeping a loot out for any dragons that may strike this small fleet.

Gabriel stiffened when he saw something dark in the distance.

What looked like a ship.

A lone, large ship sailing in the distance. Gabriel pulled out a telescope from his waist, extending it and looking for it.

He caught sight of a purple sail, a pale butterfly on it.

Gabriel felt cold, grimacing as he lowered his telescope, gripping it tightly.

Hawkmoth.

Hawkmoth was back and sailing these waters.

Gabriel turned to find the Chief.

Best to be on guard with that raider creeping about.


	9. Chapter 9

Chloe rapped on the door, calling out, "Adrien? Adrien! Answer the door!"

She stopped, glaring at the worn wood, listening.

There was no response, no sound, no nothing.

Not a call back.

Not a shuffle.

Nothing.

She opened the door to Adrien's shack, finding an empty room.

Chloe pursed her lips, annoyed.

She turned her sharp gaze towards the woods.

She had a feeling that's where her friend disappeared too. As he was constantly disappearing into. Why, she couldn't say. She didn't believe his claims about gathering herbs, and studying dragons?

There was only so much studying one could do.

There was a soft mew at her feet, and Chloe turned to see her sweet Amber peering up at her curiously, cutely tilting her head. With a cooing smile, Chloe dropped down and scratched Amber's head. "Mommy'll will be right back, okay Sweetie?"

Amber released a pleased burr.

"That's my girl."

Standing up, Chloe grabbed her club and hurried out, eager to find Adrien, eager to really learn why he was in the woods so much.

This was starting to get ridiculous.

* * *

When Adrien slipped into Ladybug's lair, he grunted when he was welcomed with a tackle. He looked up just in time to see Nooroo screech down at him, purple eyes locked on the Viking, demanding for food.

"Hello to you too Nooroo," Adrien bid, pushing the terror off of him.

The little dragon clicked and rumbled, prowling around Adrien's ankles, eyeing him up.

Adrien in turn looked around for Ladybug, brow furrowing when he didn't see either dark haired girl or changewing about. "Ladybug?" he called out. "You here?"

No answer.

Nooroo nosed his ankle, chirping.

He crouched down, scratching Nooroo's head, just around the horns. "Where'd Ladybug go?" he asked the terror, lips curling up as Nooroo preened and purred at the scratches, the purple dragon moving about so Adrien could get the desired spots. "She out on an errand?"

Nooroo plopped to the side, rolling about and showing Adrien his belly, wanting rubs.

Adrien humored the small dragon, curiously running his hand over the soft, warm belly. The terror happily stretched in turning, cooing.

As he humored the small dragon, he sat down and looked around, trying to see where Ladybug could've gone.

In her home, there was nothing to suggest a solid answer.

As far as he could guess, she was out gathering items from the forest, visiting other dragons, adjusting the forest so her home will be harder to find, or-

He looked up when he heard a familiar flap, looking up to see the pinkish red spotted changwing diving down, Ladybug hopping off Tikki's back, hauling a bag.

Adrien paused, eyes locked on the bag.

Nooroo perked beside him, then hopped up and raced over, eager and curious to see what's in the bag.

Ladybug sighed aloud, opening it up, pushing curious, nosy dragons back.

Adrien got up, drawing near, greeting, "Hey..."

She paused, looking up, a new mask over her features, once again hiding her face from him, expect for her eyes.

He wondered if she would go back to wearing a mask all the time.

He hoped not.

With an awkward smile, he nodded to the bag, asking, "Good... gather?"

"Got the essentials," she said, "cheese for Plagg, an old mirror for Duusu, a new toy for Nooroo," she brought out a ball, tossing it out. The terror squealed and chased, bouncing that ball about. "A good gather," she said, taking off the mask, her hair bouncing and falling out in a cute rush, making Adrien grin as Ladybug huffed and fixed her hair.

He hummed slightly, glancing down at the bag.

He forgot that Ladybug was a thief, stealing from villages.

It was easy to forget that when she just stayed in the woods, hanging with dragons, crafting away with what she had.

She did slip out time to time, stealing during raids.

He straightened, resolute as he watched her start to haul her gathers towards the tree, ready to stash them away.

Once he was successful in breaking in dragons into Viking's world, she wouldn't have to steal ever again, wouldn't have to hide away in the woods ever again.

He'll make sure of it.

"So I think it might be time," Ladybug called out, making Adrien blink.

"Time?" he echoed.

She turned, flashing in an eager smile, slipping some sort of pack onto her shoulders, one that sent a slight jolt through him, his attention locked on her. He watched her prowl towards him, adjusting the straps of that pack to her chest, his heart speeding a little as the unmasked rogue stopped beside him. "Time for a real flight."

He blinked. "A real flight?"

Hasn't he flown before? On Tikki to see the fireworm queen?

Which was cool, if a little jarring.

"A real flight," she confirmed, turning and meeting Tikki's gaze, the changewing clicking loudly, scaly lips curling in a grin.

"Earlier wasn't a real flight?" he asked.

She laughed. "No, that was far from a real flight. That was more a quick travel through the woods. To really fly," she trailed turning her eyes skyward, "you have to go to the heavens themselves."

Adrien's eyes widened as he followed her gaze up towards the blue sky above.

Oh boy.

This was going to be so cool!

* * *

The two sat comfortably on Tikki, Ladybug wrapping, a rope around them to secure the humans on the dragon, especially Adrien, who hasn't really flown before. When the two settled, with Adrien wrapping his arms around her waist. Ladybug tapped Tikki, telling her they were ready.

Rumbling, Tikki shuffled on her feet, wiggling and ready to rush forward.

Excited, Adrien tightened his grip on Ladybug, pressing against her back.

"You ready?" she asked.

"Ready," he promised.

Tikki growled, and raced forward, starting Adrien with how quickly she could move with two humans on her back. Ladybug hunched forward, and Adrien echoed her, allowing the dragon to move faster, no buffer of them standing against the wind.

Tikki's wings spread out, flapping about, ready for lift off as she raced on.

Adrien tensed instinctively when he saw that they were heading for the edge, an opening sky above and ready for them.

With one last burst of speed, Tikki surged forward and jumped, reaching for the air, wings spread wide.

For a moment they were weightless, the wind rustling their clothes, Tikki's antennas curling and waving about. Adrien watched as wings rolled up, framing the two with the soft pink wings. Those wings came down and they flew up, up, and up.

Adrien instinctively closed his eyes, pressing close to Ladybug, earning a laugh from her.

"You should look Adrien."

He did so, opening his eyes and squinting out, blinking against the wind whipping past him.

He gasped, watching as the trees shrunk down beneath them, falling away to silver sea that crashed down against the land, the spray of water rising enough to shower them, earning a giggle from Ladybug.

Tikki echoed her, rumbling. She tilted up and climbed higher and higher, snorting at Adrien's soft, "Woah!"

Tikki evened out, wing stretched out, her body dipping and rising a little as she moved, wings flapping a bit.

"Woooooaaaaah," Adrien uttered out, tightning his grip on Ladybug as he leaned over, peeking at the world below past Tikki's wings.

Ladybug sat at eased up front, not minding his grip. "Welcome to the dragon world," she said. "Welcome to the sky."

"This, this is..."

"Amazing?"

"Miraculous," he declared, boldly withdrawing from Ladybug, leaning back, testing the limits of this ride, the rope wrapped around him moving along with him.

Ladybug agreed, wiggling out of the ropes, startling Adrien as she slowly stood in the middle of Tikki's back, stretching her arms out, standing against the wind.

She turned and flashed him a smile, eyes shining playfully.

Adrien narrowed his eyes, watching her nervously. "Ladybug?"

She dropped down, crouching before him, her dark haired whipping around her face, slapping against her cheeks. "Ready for a wild ride?" she called for the wind.

His eyes widened with interest, sitting up, both jumping when noses brushed.

They flashed shy smiles, before Adrien cleared his throat. "Yes," he said, narrowing his eyes at her. "I'm ready for a thrill."

Ladybug wiggled across from him, grinning. "Hold onto those ropes." Leaning back, she called out, gripping the ropes herself. "Let's dive Tikki!"

The changewing roared, wings snapping closed at her side, her body angling down, dropping towards the raging silver sea.

Adrien instinctively pressed closer to the dragon, his heart beating fast from the thrill, his eyes stinging against the wind.

The ocean was a swirl of white and grey, waves rising up to meet them.

For a moment, Adrien thought they were going to meet it, that they were going to delve into the water.

Then Tikki's wings shot open and the changewing dove forward, skimming along the water, riding the waves, her body tilting and moving about. Ladybug and Adrien followed her movements, riding along with the dragon, watching waves rise and rush past them, showering them with a storm of silver drops.

Tikki rose up, climbing above the waves, glancing back to her riders.

Ladybug shook her head, freeing herself of water.

Adrien just sat behind her, awed from the wild ride, making the changewing chuckle.

Adrien jumped when Ladybug leaned back, her head tilting back to peer at him, cheeks red from the cold. "Quite a thrill, huh?" she asked.

"It was!" Adrien laughed, loosely wrapping her up in a hug, high from the adrenaline, the rush.

That, she did this all the time?

Flying with Tikki?

Just, free and wild in the air?

Free to go where ever they please?

How could he not be apart of this?

How could he and any other Viking not join this?

He dropped his head down, making her jump as he hugged her tighter and nuzzled her cold, pink cheek with his own. "Thank you! That, that was amazing!"

She smiled, reaching up and taking his wrist, rubbing her thumb over cold skin. "You could do it any time," she told him, "once you have a dragon that's willing to carry you."

Tikki backed it with a rumble, content to fly smoothly, allow the two humans to come down from the rush.

"You think Plagg will carry me?"

"Maybe, but you might be pushing your luck there," Ladybug chuckled.

He stuck his tongue out at that, and the two simply settled, sighing contently as they relaxed, Ladybug comfortable against his chest, Adrien content with his arms loosely wrapped around her. The only sound between them was the occasional howl of the wind, and the beat of Tikki's wings.

This was nice.

Adrien was lucky.

He was so lucky to experience this.

To encounter this curious girl who lives with dragons.

Her weight comfortable and warm against his chest, fitting right in his arms. Her hair soft and tickling against his collar and jaw.

This, this was perfect.

This was amazing.

He was so lucky.

Both were jolted out of their reverie when Tikki jerked to a stopping, emitting an uneasy screech.

Ladybug rushed forward, out of Adrien's arms and onto Tikki's shoulders, peeking past her to see what scared the changewing. Adrien followed, sucking in a sharp breath at what he saw.

Down below, a small part of the grey sea was pink, hues of red struggling to stay dark in the water.

A familiar dark tail full of spikes, slashed above the waves, wild and angry.

Adrien tightened his grip on Tikki and the rope, unnerved.

Akuma.

That was Akuma down there, fighting something.

Ladybug tugged at Tikki, trying to get the changewing to turn, to escape before the whispering death caught onto them being near. A bitter whispering death was petty with grudges, and wouldn't think twice about pursuing those that they deemed wronged them.

But Tikki didn't listen to Ladybug's tugs.

The stressed dragon went right, zipping away towards the closest bit of land, the closest bit of safety she knew.

She ignored Ladybug's tugs, even as they grew more frantic and stressed, the changewing locked on getting to safety, to an unlikely spot for Akuma to lurk.

Looking ahead to where they were going, Adrien blinked at the piece of land they were approach, land that was scarred and burnt, charred away from fire. He blinked at how tense Ladybug was in front of him, and eyed the black lumps that had to be homes once.

He winced.

This used to be a village.

One that was attacked.

With this mass amount of damage, likely through a dragon.

Going over the coastal map, Adrien believes this was once the village Notrii, one of the more peaceful neighbors, agreeable and calm. A village that was rarely graced with dragon raids, supposedly because of the old chief.

Notrii was renown for their crafting skills, a very desirable trading partner to have on this coast, if they were a little too optimistic and jolly.

Adrien recalls it was a mournful day to learn that Notrii was demolished, a heavy atmosphere falling over Adrien's home.

Tikki landed with a whine, sparing a nervous glance towards Ladybug. As the humans climbed off her, the dragon darted away, sliding her body along the soil, covering herself with dirt.

"She's hiding her scent," Ladybug murmured as Adrien stared oddly at the changewing, arms wrapped around herself, eyeing the ruins tensely.

"Could Akuma smell us all the way here?" he asked, sparing a glance back to the sea.

"Unlikely," Ladybug answered. "Her nose's going to be full of sea water and blood."

Relieved to hear that, Adrien moved to explore, curious to see the remains of Notrii. He's only been here as a kid, joining his father to a trip here.

It was a shame he couldn't see it now, how much Notrii grew and flourished.

He put a hand to the frame, drawing it back to see coal cover his hand. "Must've been quite the dragon attack," he murmured.

"It was. But this, this wasn't because of a dragon. It was, it was raiders..."

He turned towards Ladybug, watching her trail off, her form small and hunched up, arms wrapped tight around her, her gaze locked on one of the larger buildings. He blinked, and trailed after her, concerned and curious.

"Ladybug?" he asked.

"This was a bakery," she murmured, eyes locked on what was once a building. "A bread making Viking lived here, a very gentle one, though he was as big as a bear. And he took an explorer for a wife."

Adrien eyed the building, brow furrowed.

He glanced down at her, rolling this around.

She knew who lived here.

She was hunched up and small.

He licked his lips, wary. "Do you," he started slowly, cautiously, "do you want to leave?"

She took a shaky breath, her hands squeezing her elbows tightly. "I never came back here," she told him, "after Tikki took me away, I, I never dared come back here." She just seemed to get smaller every second, eyes locked on the building, her breathing shaky.

He reached out, wrapping an arm around her shoulders, pulling her close.

"I, I never came back home..."

He gave her shoulder a squeeze, feeling her tremble against him.

Shakily, she reached out, lightly touching over the building.

"Who," he started to ask, but went quiet, unsure if that was an ok question to ask.

Ladybug got his question though, and quietly answered, "Pap... T-Tom Dupain-Che-Cheng, Mam... Sabine D-Dupain-Cheng, and, and M... Marinette Dupain-Cheng."

Marinette Dupain-Cheng.

He glanced down to her, recording the name in his mind, looking her over.

Marinette Dupain-Cheng.

Ladybug's real name.

Who she truly was.

Who was a resident of Notrii.

The only survivor of Notrii.

 _"...no one wants a girl that smells of dragon and was being shadowed by a changewing."_

Recalling that little comment, he can conclude that she and Tikki have been on their own for almost two years now. Thriving on their own, given up on Vikings for any sort of help, till he forced himself into her life.

He pulled her close, resting his head on hers, feeling her go still, eyes locked on the building still.

Both gave a start when there was a nudge at their back, turning to see a soil covered Tikki peer at them, chirping.

Adrien rubbed her arm, cautiously asking, "You ready to head back, Marinette?"

She blinked at the name, looking up at him, eyes widening.

Her face scrunched up, and she reached up, wiping her eyes. She murmured, "It's been forever since I've heard my, my name."

"It's a beautiful name," he promised.

She nodded, her smile shaky. "Y-yeah, I, I'm ready to head back."

She turned to Tikki, running her hand along the changewing's snout. "Let's go back home."

Tikki rumbled back, her antennas curling about.

Marinette drew near, wrapping the dragon's head in a loose hug, Tikki's eyes closing, a purr coming out of her to comfort the human girl. Adrien stood near, watching the two, then turned, glancing back to what was once her home.

According to her, this wasn't a dragon attack.

This wasn't Akuma's work.

Or any other dragon.

Raiders.

But Adrien doesn't know too many raiders that could do this much damage...

Well, there was one that could.

But he hasn't been seen for almost a year now, whispers of his ship finally sunk down by some dragon or the sea finally got to him.

For Marinette's sake, Adrien hoped so.


	10. Chapter 10

There was no sign of Akuma was they flew back to the lair, still Tikki persisted to keep to the canopy, everyone watching the ground just in case. But no Akuma, and Lady... _Marinette_ suspected the whispering death would be rather content for a while with her recent kill.

But it was better to be safe than sorry, with how unpredictable the dragon could be.

And vengeful.

Tikki and Marinette were unwilling to risk Akuma.

With glides and fast catches to the high branches, Tikki worked her way back to the lair, where she landed with ease, allowing the two humans to sidle off her back. Adrien glanced over at Marinette, watching her slid down and lean against the dragon. Her her gaze was distant and pensive. "You ok?" he asked.

She blinked, turning to him. She offered him a small smile, standing up and shrugging it off. "I'll be ok. I'm as good as I can be, going back."

Tikki rumbled apologetically, leaning over and nudging her lightly.

Marinette ran her hand along the dragon's snout, reassuring her, very aware that Tikki was just responding to danger, that she was heading to the first closest safest area the changewing could think of.

It was just unfortunate that was her old home.

She gave a start when a hand came to rest on her shoulder, turning to meet Adrien's reassuring gaze. He offered her a small smile. She returned it, leaned over, and gave him a nudge. Rumbling, Tikki gave her girl a harder nudge, knocking Marinette back into Adrien, who stumbled back from the force, tripping over Tikki's tail and leaving the two to fall to the ground in a heap.

The two laid still for a moment, blinking in surprise.

Marinette huffed. "Really Tikki?"

The changewing laughed above them.

Adrien laughed in turn, not minding the weight of Marinette on him.

Only to quickly mind when Tikki plopped down on them, growing in amusement as the two groaned and squawked.

"Tikki!"

"Get off!"

Tikki snorted, using her claws to sweep the humans as close together as she could, the changewing doing her best to get the two in a loose hug. With a wiggle that made Adrien giggle, Marinette moved about, and reached up, giving Tikki's neck a scratch, earning a pleased purr.

Adrien reached up, running his hands along Tikki's neck, noting how the scales were softer and warm under his touch. The changewing's body almost like a heavy blanket set over him.

He decided it'd be real nice to snuggle up against a dragon during the winder with their natural body heat.

Tikki was just moving to lay down, content with this, only to quickly rise back up, perked and at attention.

The two humans blinked at her, attention caught.

Then they heard, faint snarls, the rustle of something going through the underbrush. Tikki rose up, growling. Marinette rolled onto her stomach, ready to tear off for her tree, ready to grab a weapon.

Adrien rolled over as well, rising up, one arm set protectively over Marinette, gazed locked towards the rustling.

All three jumped as a blonde jumped forward, rolling to the ground and avoiding a blue deadly nadder that pursued her, snapping after the blonde.

"Chloe!" Adrien called out in surprise.

"Duusu!" Marinette cried in alarm as the Viking rose up, hammer bared to slam against the dragon's jaw.

Tikki leapt forward, jaws opening, grabbing that hammer just as Chloe moved to swipe at the nadder. As Tikki struggled to jerk the weapon out of Chloe's hands, Duusu snapped, her jaws missing the Viking as she was jerked away. With a hiss, the nadder pursued, set on the Viking. Adrien and Marinette scrambled to the fray, frantic to calm this clash down.

Adrien grabbed Chloe and pulled her back and away from the two dragons, while Marinette rushed towards Duusu, making a clicking noise, making the nadder pause and turn her orange eye down towards Marinette. Only to sharply look up when she heard the sharp, "Adrien?!"

Marinette shushed her soothingly, touching the bottom of Duusu's jaw, running her hand along her scales, trying to get the nadder to calm down, just as Tikki scaled up the tree, setting the weapon down there.

Chloe looked frantically between Adrien and the dragons, and the girl that was petting the nadder like it was some sort of pet. She turned to Adrien, narrowing her eyes. "What is going on?!" she demanded in a low growl.

Adrien drew away, chuckling sheepishly and wincing at the glare she gave him. "Um, well uh, these, these are friends."

Chloe stared at him with a near gape. "What?" she asked.

Adrien gulped.

Marinette turned and eyed the blonde Viking warily.

Above her Duusu growled.

* * *

Chloe stared, long and hard at Adrien.

He just smiled tightly back at her, sweating a little as he waited for her reaction.

Behind them, Marinette was seated by the tree, keeping Duusu entertained with a shiny item, keeping the nadder from turning and harassing the two.

Chloe leaned out, looking past him at the dark haired girl. She pointed. "That's Ladybug."

"Yep."

" _The_ Ladybug, the infamous thief along this coast, one who steals from villages. Who stole my mirror about a month ago."

Marinette paused behind them.

Adrien chuckled sheepishly, rubbing the back of his neck. "Ye-yeah..."

She narrowed her eyes at him, raising a very high brow. "And why are you hanging out with a thief that's living with overgrown lizards? Lizards that constantly harass us. And destroy our homes. Take our food. And-"

Adrien cut off Chloe, waving towards Marinette who was giving Chloe a grimace. "Dragons," he answered.

Chloe gave him an unimpressed look. "Agreste I'm going to hit you."

Adrien scrambled back, his hands up. "I really found something good here!" he insisted. "There's a lot of potential with befriending and taming dragons!" Before Chloe could argue, he pointed to Marinette, making the girl tense instinctively. "She's proof Chloe! We can live with dragons in peace, help each other out."

"After all they've done," Chloe snapped.

"You've done just as much," Marinette pointed out.

"Shut it Ladybug!"

Duusu growled dangerously, and Marinette quickly scratched her chin, making the nadder falter.

Catching sight of the aggressive move from the nadder, Chloe turned to Adrien, arms crossed, eyes narrowed. "How impressive," she noted aloud.

"You freaked her out," Marinette called out, turning to give the blonde a displeased look.

To Adrien, Chloe bid, "Encouraging."

He gave her a tired look.

"We're heading home," Chloe stated, grabbing Adrien and hauling him off, making the blond grunt.

Marinette watched them go with slight alarm, unsure if she should rush after and try and help him.

Only to stop as Adrien waved to her, calling out, "I'll see you later!"

Tikki dropped down on the ground, growling softly as she stared after the two. Then turned her blue eyes to Marinette, unsure.

Marinette shrugged, crossing her arms, grimacing.

This couldn't be good.

* * *

Chloe stomped ahead of Adrien, muttering and growling under her breath. Adrien hurried after, torn between sighing tiredly and wincing. "Chloe," he started.

He jumped when she whipped around to face him, pointing a finger at him, sharply snapping, "I can't believe you've been off sneaking into the woods to hang with some delusional girl-"

"Not _just_ to hang out with her! And she's not delusio-"

"Right! Dragons! Gotta befriend dragons!"

"Chloe..."

 _"Adrien."_

The two blonds eyed each other, frowning deeply at the other, Chloe's arms crossed, her lips pursed.

Adrien pushed, "It's not as bad as you think-"

"I really bet it is," Chloe cut in, pinching the bridge of her nose.

"No it isn't!" Adrien insisted. "Dragons are tamable Chloe! Marinette has tamed a good few of them! Even I've wound up taming some! I _petted_ a monstrous nightmare! _Rode_ a changewing!"

Chloe blinked at him in surprise then shook her head.

"I did!" Adrien insisted.

As if to back his claim, Nooroo came zipping out of nowhere, landing on Adrien's shoulders and giving Chloe a warning hiss, spreading his pale wings protectively over Adrien. Chloe tensed. Adrien smiled, reaching up and scratching Nooroo's chest, breaking up the terror's intimidating stance, the dragon torn between growling and purring. "See?" Adrien bid, catching the small dragon when he fell off Adrien's shoulders. "It's possible, dangerous, yeah a bit, but possible. They like me Chloe, I bet they could wind up liking you too."

She raised a brow at this claim, eyeing her childhood friend holding a purple terrible terror like one would holding the cat.

The dragon peered at her, flicking it's tongue out.

Chloe grimaced.

Holding Nooroo up close like a child would plead for a pet, he gave Chloe a pleading pout.

One Nooroo ruined by sneezing a small ember, a small reminder that this was no simple puppy or kitten.

"Adrien..."

"Join for a few days," he insisted. "I can show you, this isn't impossible."

"Dangerous," Chloe said.

"Yes," Adrien admitted, allowing Nooroo to climb back on his shoulders, eyeing Chloe warily. "But worth it." With a smile, he pushed, "Please come with me Chloe? Just, give this a try. Talk to Marinette. Meet her dragon Tikki, just, see this potential."

She frowned, eyeing the dragon he held.

"Please Chloe?" he pushed.

She sighed. "Fine. I'll, I'll give you a go. But I'm bringing a weapon! If anyone makes a move I don't like..."

"It'll be fine," Adrien reassured, pleased.

Chloe just harrumped, disbelieving of him.

She highly doubted that.

* * *

Marinette looked up when Tikki shifted beside her, watching Adrien and the girl from yesterday slip into her lair. Adrien had his eager beam and a happy wave. The girl gave her a suspicious look, blue eyes darting to the changewing beside her.

Marinette frowned, leaning back against Tikki, unsure.

This was _just_ what she originally feared.

This was _why_ she fought so hard to not get Adrien so involved out here.

Someone from his life was here now.

Another knew.

Another could find her.

And if this didn't work out... she spared a worried glance to Tikki.

The changewing growled back, turning blue eyes back to Marinette, giving the dark haired girl a slight nudge. Marinette ran her hand along the dragon's snout, reassuring her.

Best to do what she can with this.

Sighing, she slid down, eyeing the blond Viking warily, meeting her tense stare. She offered a shaky smile, sparing a fast glance to Adrien. "Hello," she greeted, drawing near. Tikki trailed behind her, growling lowly, rising up to eyeball the Viking behind her human, nostrils flaring as she sniffed the air.

The blonde stopped a ways, eyes locked on the chagnewing, mistrustful.

"Glad to see you're doing better Marinette!" Adrien greeted, ignoring the tension in the air. "You were able to calm Duusu down?"

"Pretty much," she confirmed, turning to Adrien. "I'd still keep an eye out." Turning to the silent blonde, she slowly added, "She evidently knows you..."

Tikki clacks her teeth.

The Viking crossed her arms, harrumphing.

Adrien waved to her, introducing, "So, this is Chloe, the Chief's daughter and my childhood friend." Marinette leaned to the side and waved.

Chloe didn't move.

Adrien waved to Marinette, stating, "This is Marinette, the infamous Ladybug, and her changewing Tikki." The dragon thumped her tail, shuffling on her claws.

"Is that how you keep hidden?" Chloe asked. "The changewing?"

"And my suit," Marinette confirmed. "Changewing scales respond to a changewing."

Tikki gurgled.

Chloe hummed, eyeballing them.

Adrien stood between them, offering the two a beam, still ignoring the tension in the air.

Finally, Chloe voiced with a lazy wave of her hand, "So, wow me."

"Wow you?" Marinette repeated, sparing Adrien a glance.

"Chloe's open to see our point of view! See how amazing it would be to live with dragons! Maybe, Tikki could take her on a fligh-" He was cut off when the changewing gave a hiss.

Marinette reminded, "Tikki will only fly those she likes and trusts."

She doesn't know Chloe. And so far, the blonde hasn't impressed the changewing much.

Adrien in turn faltered.

He was really counting on that amazing flight from Tikki to wow Chloe. She was the only dragon he could think of that would be willing to carry Chloe. Well, maybe Trixx, but she was a bit of a wild card and best not to test her out as a potential escort.

Chloe made an unimpressed hum, turning her gaze to Adrien.

Determined, he said, "Well, let's officially introduce you to Tikki!"

Chloe tensed when he took her arm and pulled her closer to the changewing. Tikki rose up higher, blue eyes narrowing as she watched the two blonds draw near.

"Adrien!" Chloe hissed, digging her heels into the dirt, watching the changewing peer down at them, making the dragon appear more fearsome.

"It's fine," Adrien reassured. "Tikki is cool. Wouldn't hurt a fly, right Marinette?" He turned, and blinked to find the thief gone from his side. Looking over, he saw her sitting on one the tree's thick trunks, watching the show as Nooroo slipped into her lap.

When he gave her an odd look, she said, "I'm not getting involved with this."

Rolling his eyes, he continued to push the reluctant Chloe close to Tikki. "Think of it like petting a sheep," he suggested.

"A sheep with a mouth full of knife sharp teeth," Chloe snapped, "and can breath fire!"

"Actually changewings don't breath fire. They have acidic saliva instead."

"Adrien you're not helping!"

"Sorry..."

Near them, Marinette snickered.

Chloe stopped, a foot away from the changewing. The one that was narrowing her eyes and glaring down at Chloe, judging her, making the blonde feel like the dragon was peeling her walls away and eyeing her soul. And didn't seem to like what she saw with how she snorted smoke.

Adrien though completely missed this, setting his hand on Chloe's shoulder, beaming up at the changewing. "We're all good friends here, right Tikki?"

Tikki clacked her jaws.

Turning to Chloe, he suggested, "How about you try and pet her?"

"Nope."

"Aw come on Chlo. Tikki won't bite."

Chloe's damn sure the dragon would.

"I'll show you," Adrien offered, stepping up and reaching for the dragon's snout.

He touched it before Chloe could move to stop him, running his hand along the curve of the horn on her nose, coming down and scratching her upper lip, mindful of the under bite full of teeth, making the dragon purr. "See?" he offered, waving to her.

"Tikki won't bite you," Marinette backed from her seat.

Chloe frowned, eyeing the dragon.

Like she was going to believe the words of a thief.

Beside her, Adrien frowned. He was just about to move and try and push for Chloe to pet Tikki again when the dragon move. All watched as she drew near, sniffing Chloe, considering her. Chloe backed away from the dragon, reaching for the hammer she had hanging from her belt.

Marinette instinctively tensed, ready to jump up and stop the Viking if she moved to attack Tikki.

Tikki stopped, eyeing the nervous Viking. Huffing, Tikki turned and prowled off, ignoring Adrien's call after her.

Adrien frowned, turning to meet Chloe's unimpressed stare. Clearing his throat, he did insist, "Tikki wouldn't have hurt you."

Chloe wrinkled her nose back at him.

Sighing, Adrien turned to Marinette for help, his eyes locking on Nooroo.

Nooroo!

Nooroo was a good introductory dragon!

Catching onto his plan, Marinette held up the little dragon, much to the terror's surprise. With a thankful smile, he rushed over and took Nooroo from her, and hurried back to Chloe side, holding out the terror.

Chloe stared at the terror.

The terror sniffed at her, turning his head about to eye her.

"Hold him like you're holding Amber!" Adrien insisted.

"Amber's a cat. That's a dragon."

"Small enough to be similar to a cat!" Adrien said. "Just try and hold him Chlo!"

Chloe grimaced, then spared a glance over at Marinette, watching the Ladybug pet the changewing's snout, unafraid of those teeth and acidic saliva. Wary, Chloe turned and reached out towards the terror.

Nooroo perked, watching that hand come near.

Chloe lightly pressed a finger to Nooroo's scaly lips, and jumped back when he gave it a stray lick, squealing in disgust. Adrien beamed, reassuring, "Great job Chlo!" He held Nooroo out once more, "Now just a little more..."

"If I get burned or bit-"

"You won't."

"I'm holding you responsible," she continued.

"Fine, fine," Adrien bid, nodding to the terror.

With a face, Chloe awkwardly took the terror from Adrien, a little surprised by the dragon's weight, but was able to hold him with ease. Chloe stood for a moment, eyeing the purple dragon, feeling the warm beast purr and vibrate. Chloe blinked and stared down at the small dragon she held.

The times spent fighting dragons, Chloe has yet to really, actually touch one.

A terror's scales were softer than she thought they'd be.

Smoother than she thought they'd be.

All dragon scales she thought were the same, rough and rigged, unpleasant to the touch, hot to the touch.

And yet it wasn't so with the terror in her arms, the body softer than she expected, the scales smoother, the body warm but not overly so.

She gave Adrien a wary glance.

He gave her and encouraging back.

She glanced over at Ladybug, at Marinette, seeing the girl give her an encouraging smile, Chloe turned back to the dragon. Cautiously she ran her hand along the dragon's pet, making the terror purr and arc into her caress.

Adrien grinned, pleased with his success.

Best dragon fighting Viking Chloe Bourgeois was holding a terrible terror and petting one.

It was a step in the right direction!

Near him, Marinette watched a little surprised to see the Viking willingly petting a terror.

One she's seen during raids.

One she knows was set to face off against dragons.

And yet here she was, petting and holding a dragon willingly, with just a little encouragement from Adrien. Marinette could just see beginning shift of her view.

She was baffled when he came, stating that he would change his village's view of dragons.

And here he was, changing the view of a Viking that willingly fought dragons.

Maybe he could do it...

Marinette grinned when Tikki gave her a nudge, reaching up to scratch the dragon's jaw. Perhaps things would improve between dragons and Vikings.

Perhaps.

They'll just have to see how this goes.


	11. Chapter 11

Marinette moved swiftly through the trees, guiding the two blonds through the woods, listening for Duusu. She wanted the nadder to be the next dragon Adrien has a go at befriending, with Chloe here for observation, and further proof of dragon and human alliances. Even more so since Duusu was one of the more present dragons that goes with the raids.

Maybe they could even get Duusu to stop going to raids.

Or so is Marinette's hope.

Along with getting the nadder more friendly with people.

The blue dragon was very finicky about who she befriended.

Marinette was probably the first human the nadder liked.

Maybe there could be more, if this goes right.

Above them, Tikki and Nooroo trailed behind them, watching the three curiously, making branches rattle as they move.

Below, Chloe kept close to Adrien, watching Marinette mvoe with practiced ease through the underbrush. She drew near, leaning over and hissing at him, "Are you seriously doing this?" This nadder was unfriendly, attacked them all the time.

"Yep!" Adrien chirped, turning to her. "Been meaning to bond with Duusu for a good while now."

"She's probably going to gobble you up."

"Good thing I have back up," Adrien bid, pointing up to the two dragons that were following them above.

Chloe spared a glance towards Tikki and Nooroo, meeting their bright eyes. Chloe frowned. Standing close to a dragon brawl. Yeah that sounded like a solid plan. Not.

"There she is," Marinette voiced, pointing out.

Adrien quickly came by her side, looking out to see that yes, there was Duusu. Along with two other nadders.

One a lighter, almost greener blue than Duusu, with green eyes instead of the amber pink Duusu had. The other a reddish orange with amber eyes and a broad smile. Marinette introduced, "Her brother Juuno and his mate Vixx are there too."

Chloe drew near, grimacing. "Are seriously going to send him out there with two other nadders?"

"Juuno and Vixx don't go out on raids," Marinette said. "Never been too inclined to fight humans, though does like to mess with travelers and play pranks. She and Trixx are best friends."

"How cute," Chloe declared dryly.

Adrien grinned in amusement. Turning to Marinette, he checked, "So Juuno and Vixx won't join the fray if Duusu goes at me?"

"Nope. Juuno's too sweet and Vixx is more interested in play. Plus Duusu doesn't like either joining her for a fight." She gave him an encouraging pat. "You should be good!"

Adrien was pumped. He could do this. It was going to go well.

He was going to befriend Duusu!

And show Chloe that even a raiding dragon could be appeased!

Maybe even have her be one less dragon to have during raids.

With an eager skip in his step, Adrien slipped into the nadder's view, boldly approaching the dragons.

Behind him Chloe tensed, watching her friend go. Even more so as the nadders perked, all eyes locking on Adrien as he approached them, greeting them in a calm, kind tone. "This is crazy," Chloe hissed, turning to Marinette, eyes narrowed.

"A bit," she agreed. "But possible. I befriended Duusu."

Chloe wrinkled her nose, pushing, "Why would you even befriend dragons? Why are you even living in the woods, Ladybug."

With a hum, she asnwered simply, "It's hard to rejoin society when society won't let you."

At Chloe's baffled blink, Marinette didn't offer anymore, watching intently as Adrien drew near the nadders. Vixx clicked loudly, prancing near Adrien, looking him over curiously, and giving him a slight nose. She ignored Duusu's sharp, warning hiss. Juuno tilted his head about, observing.

"Hey girl," Adrien greeted, bringing out a slab of jerky, much to Vixx's delight. "Aren't you pretty."

The nadder preened in delight, snapping the jerky from Adrien's hand.

Perked up by food, Juuno rushed over, eager to get something to eat too, ignoring his sister's baffled stare. Duusu watched as Adrien handed out food to her brother and his mate, petting them and cooing about how pretty both of them.

Making a displeased rumble, Duusu drew near, cautious but desiring goodies and praise.

Marinette grinned while Chloe gaped.

"Crazy," Marinette murmured, "but possible." Turning to Chloe she asked, "You want to have a go? Pet Duusu?"

Chloe gave her a look. "I've definitely smacked that nadder at least once. She's going to attack me. Again. I know it."

Chloe gave a start when Marinette took her hand and then brought out a small round ball of fabric. "Easily remedied," Marinette promised, watching for the blonde's approval, or disapproval.

Chloe stared at the ball, wary. "What is that?" she asked.

"A little treat that will make most dragons the cuddliest cats you'll ever meet." After a pause, Marinette added, "Or make them the sneezy."

Chloe raised a brow, then her eyes widened, surprised. "Dragon nip?"

"Dragon nip," Marinette confirmed.

Chloe held out her hand, undeniably intrigued, her gaze flickering to Duusu. Could she actually pet the dragon?

Marinette opened the cloth up a little and slathered the scent across Chloe's palm. "Go pet a nadder," Marinette bid.

Chloe did so, slipping past Marinette slowly, eyes set to the band. The dragons all perked at her approach, making Adrien turn to see Chloe drawing near. Grinning, he waved her over,encouraging her to join him in petting the nadders.

Chloe stopped when Duusu sent a sharp hiss, recognizing the Viking before her.

Hoping Marinette was right and she wouldn't wind up losing a hand to the dragon, Chloe stretched her hand out, in the dragon's reach.

Duusu in turn paused, sniffing loudly. Rumbling, the nadder drew near, catching onto the delightful smell of nip.

Preening, Duusu made Chloe jumped as she rammed her snout against the Viking's palm. Chloe gaped as the nadder preened and cooed, nuzzling Chloe's hand, rubbing her snout about, trying to get as close to that scent as physically possible.

Chloe stumbled slightly from the dragon's pushes, her other hand instinctively moving to rest on the nadder's jaw.

She stared at her hand, resting on the deadly nadder, the beast preening and cooing in delight. Another hand came into view and there was Adrien petting Duusu's neck, grinning.

He turned knowing eyes to her and Chloe just huffed in turn, turning her view back to the nadder, a beast that attacked during raids. A beast that certainly attacked her just a few days ago.

Now putty in her hands.

It, it was pretty wild.

Chloe glanced back towards Ladybug, towards Marinette, who was petting both the changewing and terror, no doubt her hands slathered in dragon nip as well.

How wild.

* * *

"You were scared over nothing," Adrien teased.

"I was _not_ scared over nothing," Chloe huffed. "Dragons are still very dangerous animals and we shouldn't let our guard down around them! At least, not completely..."

With a cheeky grin, Adrien teased, "You enjoyed petting the nadder."

Chloe grumbled back.

Chuckling to himself, Adrien left her be, guiding her back homewards.

"So... what's the deal?"

"Hm?"

"Her story? Ladybug's tale?" Chloe asked.

Adrien paused, considering this. "Has she told you anything?" he asked.

"Only that she tried joining villages before but didn't quite work out."

"Before that's all I got too," Adrien said.

"But you know?" Chloe asked.

"Yeah, I got a better idea." He paused, turning back to Chloe. "She's from Notrii."

Chloe stopped, posture stiffening for a moment. "A Notrii survivor?" she asked.

"Yeah. Tikki saved her and the two bonded, Marinette did try to join villages but no one wanted a changewing around. So..."

"She settled with living in the woods with a bunch dragons," Chloe finished.

Adrien nodded.

Chloe eyed him, considering her friend. "You're going to try and get her to join our village, aren't you?"

Adrien jumped. He whipped around, asking, "What?"

"You want her in our village," Chloe pushed, coming up beside him, eyeing him. "That's one of the reasons why you're pushing this so much."

"Well," he started, looking away. He did admit, "It'd be easier to get her to join the village if we were more accepting of dragons. Plus there's a lot of potential with dragons. Potential to better help our survival. And, yeah, I, I hate to think of her living in the woods alone all the time. She seems happier than when I first met her, when it was just her and dragons. She was just, focusing on surviving before. She's been happier after I came along."

"How arrogant of you to think," Chloe commented.

Adrien gave her a shove, cheeks red. "Not me specifically. Just, hanging out with another person. Not with just dragons in her life alone. I think she'd be happier being back in a village," Adrien said.

Chloe hummed. "I would talk that out with her first," she advised.

"Obviously," Adrien agreed. "For now, I'm more up getting you dragon comfortable. If I can get you comfortable with dragons, I could get the whole village comfortable."

Chloe gave him a look.

Adrien told her, "You can be real difficult when you want to be."

"Watch it Agreste."

He simply laughed, rushing away before she could punch him.

He couldn't deny there was a truth to Chloe's words.

He would like Marinette to join their village, admittingly, his want for her to join were partly selfish. It was easier to have her stay in his life if she lived in his village. And if she stayed and lived happily, maybe there could be a step towards something more. Something more grounding for their relationship, if she was willing.

But he had a village's view to change first.

That was something he will stress and hope for later.

He'll focus on the biggest project now.

One he was starting to have great confidence in.

* * *

Relaxing back in his home, Adrien was set on his little book, making his own personal notes on dragons, making plans on how to introduce dragons to his village.

With Chloe on board, that can help smooth things over since she was well admired and respected.

Her father would certainly consider her if she proposed this new idea of making use of dragons, and if she and Adrien back this with proof...

Adrien grinned, pleased.

This was promising.

Things were looking up.

He could succeed.

He just had to persist, plan out how to intrduce dragons, how to keep both sides calm and tame and-

Adrien jumped when there was a screech at the window, looking up to see a raven perched on the sill, glaring at him with dark eyes.

On it's leg was a note.

Oh.

Adrien winced.

A message from father.

The raven meant his father made it on his voyage ok. But likely something was up if he felt he had to send a letter. Something personal.

That lead to two things Adrien was dreading.

Seeing what was so important that his father sent a letter.

And getting said letter.

Which reminded Adrien.

Something else dragons could do, replace ravens so Adrien doesn't have to deal with his feather allergy when letters were sent to him.

Setting his book down, he got up and cautiously drew near, cooing, "Hey pretty."

The raven cawed back at him, impatiently shuffling on its talons.

Ok, he could do this. Just grab the letter, and the bird will go.

Holding his breath, Adrien reached out, eased the letter off the raven's leg, and quickly darted away, breathing in relief now that he was far from the bird. Opening the letter, he saw what he expected.

His father made it ok.

No one was lost to the sea, dragon, or to sickness.

They were welcomed, provided for with tolerable hospitality.

A mention of a possible marriage propos-

What?

Adrien reread the sentence.

 _'Chief Rossi's daughter, Lila, expressed an interest in you. She seems to believe your title, Adrien the Curious, seems to mean that you're very daring and brave and clever. Which I suppose isn't wrong. You're going into those woods and still make it out ok. Chief Bourgeois jumped in for me, starting to brag you up, eager to form an alliance with Itaal. Lila the Clever is interested in you son._

 _'While I may not care for having a marriage being proposed without my asking, I can't lie there isn't any appeal in this. Lila is very formidable. Very intelligent. Lovely to the eye. And a marriage with her would strengthen village relations. I am considering it. Perhaps next month we'll sail back to Itaal and you can meet Lila.'_

Nope.

Nopenopnopenopenope.

Earlier this year, Adrien would've considered it.

Maybe even delighted.

Majority of Viking marriages didn't happen through, if couples were lucky, love came later. But in this day and age, where they struggled against dragons and raiders and rivals; a marriage was a security and a future. Have two Vikings with promising traits be together, likely any children they have will have those traits, making them promising fighters.

And in this day and age, that's what Vikings looked for.

That's what came first.

A want to make promising fighters, to better survival chances.

Love and happiness came later, a hope that the marriage would be happy.

With Adrien, while he truly was capable, because of his struggles out in the battlefield, it was hard for him to find a match. Many in the village knows that he did more harm than good. It made him an unappealing match.

It was true that his best chance of marriage would be with someone from another village, someone that didn't fully quite know how much Adrien did struggle in fights.

Actually the only proposal Adrien received was from Chloe, and it was more out of pity.

And because if Chloe was pushed to marry, she rather marry a friend she knew than some stranger from another village.

Adrien could recall the slight conversation they have.

 _"You may suck at fighting, but at least your smart."_

 _"Gee, thanks Chlo."_

So to hear that Lila the Clever was interested, Adrien was flattered.

And a while ago, he would've been delighted to hear that another was interested in him.

But now, with his heart being tugged by a blue eyed beauty that lived in the woods, this was a bit nerve wracking. Even more so since his father was interseted in such a match. It would be hard to get out of, it would be hard to convince his father to let him marry Marinette with her living in the woods, preferring dragon company to other Vikings.

Plus there was the matter of Marinette.

Would she be willing to have him?

Would she really be willing to relive in a village?

Would she be happier in the woods?

...Adrien wouldn't mind living in the woods.

There was a simplistically to being in the woods. A calmness.

No usual trouble there outside surviving and just living.

No politics.

No dealing with Vikings having petty issues.

Just dragons, flying, moving at your own speed, living off the land.

There was a danger to it, yes, but in the small white Adrien has dabbled in Marinette's life, it was peaceful.

He'd be fine living in the woods with her if this failed and he couldn't get the village to accept dragons, if she'd have him. He could see his life being content out there.

They had to talk that out though. At least, Adrien did. He didn't know about Marinette, but it was a thought lingering in his mind. Something he'll have to reach out and talk out with her. Preferably before his father returned and pushed for this marriage proposal with the Rossi.

And he can agree, Rossi was a tempting match and offer politically.

It would offer the Agreste line to join the Chief linage.

Could provide an alliance between the two villages.

It was a solid and flattering proposal.

And there was a solid appeal to marrying Adrien, with another Chief's daughter giving him a proposal, even if it was out of pity.

His father would think him crazy to refuse.

And if Adrien turned out to like Lila, probably would think himself crazy to refuse.

But he only knew the now, and knew that he was fond of Marinette, enjoyed having her in his life.

He was glad he searched for Ladybug in the woods.

Thankful for what she has shown and shared with him.

He wants her to stay in his life, romantic or otherwise.

But for that, he had to talk this out with her.

Had to receive her approval.

Next time he visits perhaps.

Sighing, he turned back to the letter, skipping over his father's talk over the proposal.

He tensed when he read the paragraph below it, his stomach going queasy, a tense flutter in his chest.

 _'I'll be sending this to Kubdel and Bourgeois as well, but keep a look out to the coast. On the way to Itaal, I had seen Hawkmoth sailing by. He was heading back homewards. Our village is one of the biggest on the coast, making it unlikely that he would attack it, but still, be on guard and keep a look out to the seas. Hawkmoth is in the area. He may just be sailing by, but best to be cautious.'_

Hawkmoth was back.

 _Hawkmoth was back and likely in the area._

Marinette didn't know.

She was in the woods.

Woods were a relatively safe place for raiders to be, woods were just as tactical as the sea. Woods raiders would slip into, and sneak upon a coastal village from behind. Or just hide away there.

And Marinette was in those woods.

Marinette didn't know.

And Hawkmoth was seen sailing towards here may even already be here and in those woods and-

He had to go.

Dropping the letter, Adrien tore out of his home, tore through the village, tore into the woods.

He ignored all the skeptical stares peering after him, including one Chloe Bourgeois moving to trail after him.

What was the matter?

* * *

After the two leaved, Marinette stood over the stove, poking at the slab of meat she had cooking. It was notably quieter now that Adrien and Chloe had left.

Back in the day, she wouldn't have minded the quiet.

Quiet was just a part of her life.

Solitude, from other people, became part of her life.

And now she had people back, and the quiet was noticeable. She missed the noise of another person, the presence of another body, human and familiar.

Marinette sighed, watching her meal cook, ignoring Nooroo as the dragon wandered around her legs, nudging her for food, looking up with pleading eyes. Adrien visits near daily at this point, and she was starting to miss his company already.

Perhaps it was the dabble back into her previous life that's getting her, where she used to live with lots of people, close and familiar.

She does miss it.

She discovered she does miss the company.

It brought a new life to her.

Brought a new energy.

One she wouldn't mind having more present in her life. And with Adrien aiming to combine Viking and dragons together, possibly maybe succeeding, there was a chance that she could rejoin then, reassured that no one would attack her dragons.

She would happily join then.

If Adrien could do it.

And she would do what she could to help.

And-

Nooroo released a quiet growl, one that made Marinette pause.

Brow furrowing, she turned, looking around for what could alarm Nooroo.

Not Akuma.

Nooroo would've fled for the canopy above.

A rival terror Nooroo would've rushed off to confront.

What has her little dragon so tense?

"My that smells delicious."

Marinette jumped, turning to see a masked man slip into her lair, her body tensing at the silver mask, at the dark clothes he wore. He was familiar. She, she knew him. She's seen him before.

How-

Why was he-

"Why is a small girl like you out here in the middle of the woods?" the man asked, prowling closer.

Marinette turned towards him, gripping her stick, shaking. Nooroo jumped up onto her shoulders, wings spreading, releasing a warn hiss. Not that the man was intimidated as he drew, calmly noting aloud, "How curious to see a dragon so defensive for you. Most do not do that."

"I guess I'm just lucky," Marinette jabbed, drawing away, keeping the stick in front of her, ignoring how Nooroo's claws sunk and pressed at her shoulders. She narrowed her eyes, demanding, "What are you even doing here Hawkmoth? I thought you stuck to the sea."

"There's an advantage in woods," Hawkmoth responded. "One you clearly know just as well as I do, living here yourself. Though, I do wonder, who are you to live in these woods? Why live in these woods yourself, little girl?" He drew near, and with each step he took, Marinette took another back, eyes locked on him.

On her shoulders, Nooroo was growling something fierce, his small body tense with alarm.

With both locked on Hawkmoth, neither saw the henchmen creeping up behind them, reaching for the two.

But they didn't see the angry changewing that dropped down them, roaring in fury.

Marinette whipped around in surprise, seeing Tikki throw and toss the raiders away. Marinette heard a pound of rushing feet and turned just in time to swing her stick at Hawkmoth.

One he caught with ease, his other hand shoving Nooroo off her shoulders.

Purple blue eyes peered down at her through a mask's eye holes, gleaming with smugness.

"I know who you are," he declared, "with dragons at your beck and call. With a _spotted_ changewing."

Marinette tensed, staring up at him.

"Hello Ladybug. I've been meaning to find you."


	12. Chapter 12

"Adrien!" Chloe called out, pursuing him, "Adrein! What's going on?!"

The blond didn't answer, racing on, locked on getting to the lair. He had to warn her. Let her know that HM was here, that there was a risk, that she was in danger. Only, as he burst into the lair, he stopped feeling his blood go cold as he slowly looked around.

The lair looked trashed and trumped on.

"M-Marinette?" he called out, slowly walking into the lair.

Behind him, Chloe slipped in, gasping in alarm. "Wha-"

"MARINETTE!" Adrien called out.

No answer.

There was a cry.

Both looked up to see Nooroo peering down at them. Nooroo dove down, stomping his claws, screeching. "Show me Nooroo!" Adrien ordered.

Gurgling, the terror turned and tore off, Adrien and Chloe closely following. They rushed passed plants, ignoring the snap of branches that they pushed by. They jumped over trunks. They noticed dents and chips in trees.

What happened?

What went through?

Where was Marinette?

Nooroo stopped, hissing out, glaring down at the ground.

Adrien crouched down, Chloe following. The two blonds crawled up, both tensing and sucking in a sharp breath at what the saw.

Tikki was down below, chains wrapped around her form, the changewing struggling and jerking against her captor's hold. Men, large and curly, crowded around the red spotted dragon, keeping her pulled tight, pulling her along towards a large, black ship.

There was one off to the distance of the crowd, that kept an arrow locked on the changewing.

Near them, the blonds spotted Marinette, equally bound, set on her knees, watching her dragon get hauled up onto the ship. A masked man stood over her, smugness and glee rolling off of him in waves.

"Hawkmoth," Adrien growled, body tensing up.

Nooroo uttered an angry sound.

Chloe set a hand on Adrien's shoulder, keeping him there just in case he fell for temptation, fell for the urge to rush down and save her. "Why is he taking her?" she wondered.

"I don't know," Adrien said, "but we got to save her."

"We're two Vikings," Chloe reminded. "That has to be at twenty raiders down there."

Adrien grimaced, then looked back towards the woods.

"We could be more," he voiced.

Chloe blinked at him, raising a brow. "What?"

"I know a dragon that can help," Adrien said. A dragon offered them better help with this. Sparing a fast glance back, Adrien turned and hurried away, ignoring Chloe's hiss after him, demanding what dragon did he have in mind.

What dragon exactly was living here that could take on roughly twenty men?!

Chloe was very concerned.

It was a sound idea to get a dragon to come help.

Some dragons could be vicious enough to take on twenty Vikings. Some raids they had very few dragons attacking the village, and they were enough to keep them on their toes.

But the only dragons Chloe knew were Tikki, Nooroo, and Duusu.

Tikki was being hauled onto the ship, with Hawkmoth dragging Marinette behind him.

Nooroo was barely frightening on his own against that group.

And Duusu, who could be capable enough, she didn't know where she was.

Turning to Nooroo, she pushed, "Take me to Duusu."

The terror blinked at her, tilting his head at the command. Gurgling, he turned and scampered off. Chloe followed. She hoped Duusu would help.

She had a feeling she may need more than just a petting to get the nadder to help her.

* * *

"Very handsome changewing," Hawkmoth praised as he loomed beside her, watching his men haul Tikki on board. "Very rare to find a changewing alone. It's very curious that she's alone."

"Your guess is as good as mine," Marinette bit out, eyes locked on her changewing, her heart beating heavily in her chest.

She did any misbehaving and that arrow would go flying.

Likely wouldn't kill her, Marinette can't foresee Hawkmoth killing the changewing. Not with these dragons so hard to find. Hawkmoth would likely sell her, if she and Tikki didn't escape.

Which reminded her.

She spared a wary glance towards Hawkmoth.

There was a reason why Hawkmoth should hold onto Tikki.

There should be no reason for Hawkmoth to have her.

As far as Marinette knows.

She tensed when Hawkmoth turned to her, asking, "Yes, Ladybug?"

She narrowed her eyes at him, asking, "What do you want with me?"

"You're quite the phantom along this coast," he answered. "I've heard many tales of you, talks of your possible existence, some of those tales breathing word of you being a dragon rider."

She grimaced.

He crouched down beside her, bidding, "And I found that you are. You had _two_ dragons jumping to your defense. One a rare changewing. Not just a rider, but a dragon master. And I could use a dragon master in my crew. With one particular dragon I want most."

Marinette's blood turned cold, her body tensing as she stared back at him.

No.

No no no.

"I-I'm more a tamer," Marinette corrected cautiously. "I can't control dragons. I can't tame her for you."

"You tamed a changewing," Hawkmoth pointed out. "You tamed enough dragons that you're able to live in the woods for two years. You are a dragon master. Not she has gotten you."

"I've been lucky," Marinette stressed.

"Perhaps that luck will rub off on me," Hawkmoth bid, standing.

Marinette frowned. "I can't-"

"You'll try, Ladybug," Hawkmoth said. "A live changewing is desirable. But hide is just as well."

Marinette tensed, feeling sick.

"I want a whispering death at my beck and call. If you want your changewing to continue breathing, I advise you tame that dragon."

Hawkmoth stood with a hum, gesturing for a grunt to haul Marinette to the ship.

She stumbled against the grunt's tugs, tripping a few times on the uneven planks, her breathing fast, her heart beating quickly.

She turned, looking back to the woods, having a small hope for a miracle. A dragon coming to rush out to save her. Something that would help her and Tikki escape.

But there was no one.

There was nothing.

She and Tikki were trapped.

No one was coming.

None knew.

Adrien wouldn't know.

He'd go back to her lair, find her gone, find her never coming back and he'd be left wondering what happened.

He'd never know.

He'd just live on his life, never knowing what happened to her.

He'd move on and live his life, and she'd be just a fleeting memory.

Just like Notrii would be.

Forgotten and gone.

As Marinette was pulled into the dark hull and shoved into a cell, Marinette listened to the grunt walk away, the creak of wood as it went. She went for the bars, pushing at them, trying to see if anything would give.

It didn't.

Blind for this moment, she backed away till she hit the wall, slid down it and curled up, waiting for her eyes to adjust, rubbing her arms in an effort of reassuring herself.

She'll figure something out, she, she hopes she will.

Her and Tikki's life depended on it.

* * *

Adrien scrambled down the ravine, skidding over loose dirt and tripping over vines. He looked about frantically, heart pounding as he sought for the large nightmare.

Where was Plagg?

He needed Plagg.

"Plagg!" Adrien called out, "Plagg! Where are you?!"

Shuffling on his feet, looking up and down the ravine, Adrien was torn on which way to go. Where could Plagg be? It was random where the dragon liked to lounge. He could be anywhere.

And for Adrien who needed him _now_ , this wasn't good.

"Plagg!" Adrien called out, racing along a random path, hoping he'll find the nightmare soon.

Wherewherewherewehe _where-_

A sharp growl nearly made him trip.

He turned, blinking to see Plagg lying there, early hidden from in the shadows, glaring at Adrien with one green eye.

"Plagg!"

Plagg growled, turning away to go back to sleep. Adrien scampered up to the nightmare, proclaiming, "Marinette and Tikki are in danger! Hawkmoth, he, he caught them! He's taking them!"

Plagg cracked an eye open. He rose up with a warning grown when Adrien moved to climb onto his back.

"We got to help them!" Adrien pleaded, meeting Plagg's glare. "They're in _danger_!"

The dragon grumbled back.

"Plagg we got to go _now_!" Adrien stressed, drawing near the nightmare, unafraid of the maw full of teeth, or how the pupil thinned as the dragon peered down at him.

"They need our help," Adrien pushed.

Plagg released a deep grumble, Adrien watching as the nightmare rose up, his gaze locked on the Viking, releasing a dangerous hiss.

Adrien stared back, still unafraid.

They were going to do this, they were going to save them whether Plagg was up for it or not.

* * *

Marinette sat still in her cell, listening as Tikki growled and banged against her binds. Listen to the men walk above, sometimes hearing a faint, occasional laugh from them. Marinette flinched at each loud _bang_ that sounded above her, on heavy steps of burly men walking around. Steps that made the hull thunder and the wood creak.

She pressed her face to her arms, staring out with a frustrated squint.

Her eyes had adjusted enough that she could see the outline on the bars, but nothing else.

She was still stuck on what to do.

With her sight limited, she couldn't see what she was doing.

Tikki chained and all locked up, there was little her changewing could do to break them free.

It had to be Marinette.

She had to think of a way out.

She wasn't chained down, maybe she could take on the guard when they visited with food? Living with dragons, she can be real sturdy when she wants to be. Just needed solid planning-

Marinette jerked up when Tikki released a loud warning hiss, following by a squeal and a stumble, scared and tense grumbles bubbling out through the darkness.

She pressed closer to the wall, narrowing her eyes.

What...?

Who was-

Marinette tensed and squinted when she saw a light at the end of a corridor, a nervous shuffle of feet coming near.

Near blinded, she waited tensely as these bodies drew near, making sure to keep the light pointed towards her.

A girl called out in challenging tone, "Ladybug!"

Eyes squinted close, Marinette greeted back lowly, "Hi."

"Listen, if you and, and that dragon want to escape, you got to help us. You got to help us es-escape and-"

There was a gasp.

"M-Marinette?"

The light lowered and Marinette squinted up, curious to see who on this ship would know her. She gasped at the two, wide eyed faces that peered at her from the darkness, their faces lit by the light. Marinette shook, her vision swirling as she stared at them in disbelief.

"A-Alya, Ni-Nino..." she murmured, relief rolling off of her.

"MArinette!" Alya cried, pushing against the bars, reaching for her. Nino quickly followed. Marinette scrambled up, grabbing the redhead's hand, pushing back against the bars, trying to hug them both as best she can.

"You're alive," Nino breathed. "How, how are you..."

Marinette laughed, the bars uncomfortable pushing against her cheek, warm bodies pressed in between the cold rusted metal. "I, I don't quite know. I, I woke to Tikki, I woke to a dragon. I, I was alive but, but everything..." she crumbled, breaking into tears, slumping against the bars. "You, you're both alive..."

Awkwardly, the three pressed against the bars, supporting each other as best they could, embracing however they could.

For that moment, they ignored the struggle of the changewing.

The stop of heavy men moving about.

They juts focused on the now.

Just focused on each other.

And the relief of their reunion.

* * *

Chloe slowly approached Duusu, peering back at the dragon as the nadder peered back at her, equally wary.

Between them, Nooroo sat down, expectant.

Cautiously, Chloe called out, "Hey Duusu..."

The deadly nadder clacked it's jaw, shuffling on her claws.

 _"Dragons are smart,"_ Adrien told her once. _"They can understand a lot of what you say."_

Chloe hoped he was right.

"I need help," Chloe continued awkwardly, inching closer.

Duusu growled, tilting her head, eyeing Chloe with one bright eye.

"Marinette and Tikki were captured."

Duusu perked up, pupil thinning.

Encouraged, Chloe said, "Raiders took them. Hawkmoth."

Duusu stretched out, hissing.

Chloe drew near, hand stretched out for the nadder, moving a little more to the side where the dragon can see her, and Chloe wasn't set in her blind spot.

Shyly, she touched the dargon's snout, jumping at the hot breath that blew at her hand. Leaning over and meeting Duusu's orange eye, she asked, "Will you help me? Save them? Stop Hawkmoth?"

Chloe doesn't doubt that Hawkmoth may turn his gaze to her village.

That he may attack.

That he would take advantage of Ladybug's skill for dragons.

That he would seek to control dragons, Chloe knows he will.

And raids could be far, far worse if Hawkmoth was controlling how dragons attacked.

He had to be stopped before that possibility came.

And with Hawmoth having Tikki, there was a chance that Marinette may cave to his demands.

Chloe wasn't going to risk it.

Growling, Chloe backed away as Duusu walked forward, body stretched out, wings rising and ready.

Chloe stared at the dragon, blinking.

What was she doing?

Standing still wasn't helping!

"Well?!" Chloe demanded.

Duusu snapped her jaw back at Chloe, shuffling on her claws impatiently.

Chloe raised a brow, not getting what the nadder was doing.

She was just standing there.

How is that-

Chloe jumped when there was a loud, heavy thunder that went through the air. She looked up, gasping as a huge black monstrous nightmare flew over with, was that...

"Adrien?" Chloe uttered, watching the nightmare go by, the boy clutching the dragon's shoulders.

He was _riding_ a dragon.

A monstrous nightmare.

 _Adrien_ was riding a _monstrous nightmare_.

Chloe stared after them, gaping.

There was a deep gurgle behind her, and she jumped around, sucking in a sharp breath to see an orange typhoomerang peer after the nightmare, the orange dragon tilting her head curiously. Spreading her great wings, the dragon took off and pursued.

Chloe jumped when Nooroo jumped up, settling on Duusu's neck, screeching at Chloe.

Duusu in turned rumbled, snorting.

Oh.

 _Oh._

They were expecting her to ride.

To, to get on a nadder and ride and follow and...

"Ok," Chloe uttered, "ok Chloe, just, just like riding a horse..." Only, last time she tried riding a horse, it threw her off, nearly broke her arm and scared her so much she wasn't up for the idea of riding another thing ever again.

And yet here she was, about to ride a deadly nadder.

Gulping, Chloe drew near and set her hands on smooth, warm scales.

She hesitated for a moment, then pulled herself up, sliding her leg over the dragon's back and moving till she was comfortable set on the dragon.

Well, as comfortable as she could be on a dragon, on this strange body, one that moved and dipped differently than her.

Nooroo settled against her, ready.

"O-ok, let's, let's go," Chloe uttered.

With a victorious cry, Duusu tore off, making Chloe squeal, clutching the deadly nadder as it charged.

Chloe watched with wide eyes as wings spread out around her, that came down, starting to flap.

It was just about to fly she was going to fly Chloechangedhermindshedidn'twanttodothisanymor-

She screamed as Duusu jumped up, flying off and pursuing the two lager dragons, heading for the sea and Hawkmoth's ship.

* * *

"So your Ladybug," Alya noted aloud, her features grinning. "You became Ladybug."

Marinette laughed, wiping her stiff cheeks, explaining, "Yeah. Though, I didn't really choose the name myself. The villages gave me that name."

"You're a dragon master," Nino whispered in awe.

"Not really," Marinette said, shaking her head. "I tame and work with them, not master them. Believe me, they don't always listen to me." She gave the two an odd look. "Why are you both still alive?"

"Navigation," Alya answered. "I chart the stars for Hawkmoth, I don't..."

"I'm as good as dead," Nino answered with a droop. "Till then I keep the ship clean."

"I"m here because Hawmoth wants to control dragons, and if I don't, Tikki, my changewing, he'll..."

She bit her lip. "She saved me, that's how I made it. Tikki saved me and watched out for me and... now he has her and if I don't do what he wants... He even plans to sell her, I know he does." Marinette gripped her clothes tightly.

"It'll be ok, Nette," Nino soothed.

"That's the hope," Marinette murmured.

"It'll be an actual hope if we were off, and Hawkmoth sunk," Alya declared with a huff.

"Right now we're kinda tied to doing what he wants," Nino reminded. When Alya shot him a glare, he mumbled, "Sorry."

She then faltered, hunching up. "I can't. I, the dragon Hawkmoth wants, I can't tame that. I, I've tried before. That, that's too wild. Too savage."

"The whispering death," Nino murmured.

Marinette shook her head. "Aiming for that dragon is going to kill us all. If Hawkmoth goes for her..."

"We need to get off this ship then," Alya declared, sparing a glance up. "Maybe that whispering death could do us a favor."

"That's risky Alya," Marinette warned.

"She could stop Hawkmoth," Alya pointed out.

"And maybe kill us all," Nino piped in.

"How about a much more safer and solid plan?" Marinette asked, "With us not relying on a whispering death that definitely wants me dead."

Alya grinned. "Hawkmoth does have explosives." She turned to Nino. "And you know where they are." To Marinette, she said, "And you have a dragon we can escape on. If she's strong enough?"

"Tikki's strong enough." Marinette grinned.

"We both humor him and keep to our tasks, with Nino easily ignored..."

Nino winced, looking between the two. Turning his gaze to Marinette, he warily asked, "So, anything I should know or brace for with this, uh, Tikki?"

Marinette smiled.

Hawkmoth was due for quite the surprise.


	13. Chapter 13

**Kinda poured everything out this chapter but I'm pretty ready to move on from this fic and see it wrapped up. So with this done, I'll now officially be working on Rise of Mariposa.**

 **I'll be doing the simpler, original idea and will be making edits to go back to that idea. Because of this, later chapters may wind up taken down to be and edited to better fit the simpler idea.**

 **Ruffled and Lucky Fox Paradox I aim to update soon, Ruffled will probably be sooner at least I expect it to be.**

 **Thank you guys for giving this fic a read, RoM is coming back and will be next to be finished.**

* * *

A whispering death was one of the most infamous dragons in the draconic world. They were ruthless and cruel, pushed and driven by an unsatisfiable hunger. And they could be so petty and cruel and vicious, locked on pursuing those that wronged them; never forgiving, never forgetting. A near impossible to hide from with their keen sense of smell and just...

Hawkmoth admired such dragons.

They were frightening and dangerous.

No master to listen to outside their own will.

A true embodiment of what a dragon was, in Hawkmoth's view.

And to have a chance to control such a dragon... it'd be an amazing power to have in his palm. With a whispering death, he could make villages crumble. He could attack from the air with fire and spikes. He could strike from the sea and none would ever know of the whispering death's coming.

This dragon was so silent and deadly.

It was an ideal dragon for a raider to have.

If he was able to control a whispering death.

But that was where Ladybug came in.

She could help him tame the whispering death, get it to do his bidding.

If having the changewing's life in his hands wasn't enough, there were other ways Hawkmoth could get Ladybug to do it. He hasn't been this far being kind.

He wasn't so infamous with his kindness.

He didn't get where he was with gentleness.

Ladybug would submit to him.

She'll tame the whispering death for him.

Have it do his bidding.

And if she was lucky, he'd be kind enough to have her stay around.

It was a very appealing thought to Hawkmoth to have an army of dragons at his beck and call.

He'd be a fool to pass up the opportunity.

But first, they needed the whispering death tamed.

They needed Ladybug to work her magic.

By his observations, he knows the whispering death kept to the coast. But the coast was large and long, and with how the waves pushed off the land, in the foggy evenings, it was easy to veer off course.

One wrong move and they'd sail back into the open sea.

He glanced towards his navigator, a girl he kept alive for the rare skill. "Well?" he asked, enjoying how she flinched and grimaced.

She spared a fast glance towards the evening sky, catching hints of scars. "We're still on course," she reassured with a bite.

"Excellent."

He'd have his whispering death soon.

Ladybug will see to it.

Or else.

* * *

In all his sixteen years, Nino wonders how and why does he always wind up in situations he really rather not be in?

Going adventuring in the woods, having to hide from dragons that smelled human children about and probably wanted to gobble them up.

Going into a very dangerous smithy full of weapons children shouldn't be around.

Going to close to the beach and nearly getting pulled into the sea.

Now here he was about to try and free a dragon.

...Why was Alya always involved in these tense situations? Why was she always the instigator? Why was it always him dealing with the most unnerving cases?

At least this time, he can get why.

Alya was called to Hawkmoth's side and Marinette was in a cell.

While it would noticed if he let her out, he was largely ignored himself by the crew.

They won't notice him messing with what he shouldn't, especially with how meek he seems. They wouldn't think he'd act out. Especially with Alya also kept prisoner. One wrong move from either of them and the other would pay.

Hawkmoth didn't count on them knowing Ladybug.

He didn't count on how mischievous and clever Marinette and Alya can be together.

How ruthless they can be.

And this, perhaps not a solid plan, but would certainly at least shake up Hawkmoth's world.

And if they were lucky, would destroy his ship and the raider himself.

Hawkmoth never bothering anyone ever again.

And the three of them could flee, and... well, what they do next, Nino doesn't know.

All that matters is that they're together.

And they stay together.

But first, he had to be a brave boy.

He had to approach a dragon, a very angry dragon that was locked up and probably ready to lash out at the first stranger that approached her.

A dragon that may not listen.

With his heart pounding heavily in his chest, Nino drew near the dragon cage Hawkmoth had, looking back and making sure no one was coming, that he wouldn't be noticed next to the dragon. Cracking the metal compartment open, he froze when he met bright, glowing blue eyes.

 _"Don't meet her eyes, she'll like try to hypnotize you. And kill you."_

Nino quickly looked down, no longer meeting the changewing's gaze.

He did quiver when he heard her deep, warning growl at him.

Shakily clearing his throat, he nervously greeted, "H-hey girl, h-hey Ti-Tikki."

The hissed and stomped her claws, her tail making a loud _bang_ on the metal walls, loud enough to make Nino jump.

He stuttered out, "I, I'm here to he-help."

Another _bang_ rang out.

"I, I'm friends with Marinette!" he insisted.

The air was still and quiet.

Nino dared peek up.

The changewing's eyes weren't glowing at bright as before, but he could still see them. See them enough to tell that the pupils were thin with mistrust, making the dragon a frightening sight.

Gulping, he bravely drew near, trying to look as small as physically possible. "W-we need help Tikki. We, we need a distraction. A, a tactical distraction. C-can you help us? It, it'll help Marinette, I promise it will."

Tikki rumbled out, narrowing her blue eyes down at Nino.

Nino wasn't sure if that was a yes.

* * *

With her giving Hawkmoth what he wanted, Alya hurried to the hull, making sure to be careful to not draw attention to herself.

With Nino working on getting the changewing and Marinette free, Alya saw to sparking the explosives. Or at least get it going.

With those two free and time spared to set the explosives off, they could escape and dent Hawkmoth's ship.

Or so was the plan.

That all depended on their success.

Hurrying down, Alya went for the back, where Nino said Hawkmoth stashed his explosives.

Only to freeze when she heard a _click_ of claws.

Next thing she knew, blue eyes gleamed out, staring down at her with thin pupils.

The changewing.

Tikki, as Marinette called her.

She was much bigger than Alya expected.

Quickly turning her gaze down, Alya shakily murmured, pointing out, "M-Marinette's that way."

The hidden dragon growled softly, then slunk away, Alya feeling the brush of a long tail going by.

That, that was intense.

Looking to where the dragon came from, she caught sight of Nino hurrying after her. Catching his shoulder, Alya informed, "She went ahead towards Marinette."

Nino nodded. "Be careful Alya," he said.

He ran after the changewing, nervous on how this will go.

Alya continued her way.

After two years they were going to do it. They were going to escape.

They were going to hurt Hawkmoth.

She was going to destroy his ship at least.

Set it aflame just as he set her home aflame.

He deserved to have so much more done to him for what he did though.

And when Alya came by the storage unit, where explosives were stashed, she grinned.

Hawkmoth was going to pay.

They were going to get free.

They were going to escape.

Grabbing some gun powder, Alya started to make a trail, a long enough trail that it would run for a while, enough time for them to climb onto Tikki and escape.

She was just about to reach a desirable length when there was a sharp shout behind her.

 _"Hey!"_

Alya whipped around, paling as she came across one of Hawkmoth's grunts. He glared down at her, demanding, "What are you doing."

Alya tensed, ready to throw gunpowder at this face, only for them to stumble when the ship suddenly lurched heavy to side, wood creaking, shouts of alarm sounding out.

What the-

A loud, bellowing roar sounded out.

Alya looked up wildly.

Marinette said Tikki was a stealthy dragon.

That she wouldn't make a big scene.

Why was she making a big scene?!

She jumped when the world flared orange, fire streaking along the outside walls, igniting the windows blindingly.

Alya squinted after the blaze.

To her knowledge, changewings didn't breath actual fire, their breath more acidic.

While the grunt was still unsteady, Alya tore off so he wouldn't grab her. She skidded to a stop just in time to nearly run into the changewing, Marinette and Nino on her back, the latter gripping Marinette's shoulders.

"Alya!" Marinette called in relief, patting Tikki, "Come on, something's going on and this is our chance!"

"Fuse isn't lit yet!" Alya said, looking back, "And I was caught! That guy might be taking care of it."

"On it," Marinette said, hopping off Tikki and pushing Alya to the dragon. "I think I know who's here. I'll get the fuse going. Tikki will get you two to safety."

"What?" Alya started.

Tikki growled, turning unsure eyes to Marinette.

Marinette patted her snout, bidding, "Take care of them girl."

Nino started to ask, "How are you-" Only to jerk down with a squeal as something small dove down and flew over him, landing on Marinette's shoulders.

A purple terror.

Marinette grinned, reaching up to scratch the small dragon's jaw. "I got Nooroo."

She urged them away and turned to rush away, the terror set on her shoulders.

Before Alya and Nino could move to follow, Tikki moved and started to rush out. The changewing scared the crew as she burst out, taking to the skies and joining others in the air.

Alya and Nino gaped to see a black monstrous nightmare, a deadly nadder, and typhoomerage souring around, slamming into the ship, breathing a blaze upon it. And the former two dragons carrying two blonds Alya and Nino didn't know.

They tensed when the nightmare drew near, a boy shouting, "Where's Marinette?"

"In the ship!" Alya called back, as they swerved by, "she's aiming to blow it up!"

The boy turned to glare down at the ship, and reached over, patting the nightmare's shoulder.

Growling, the dragon dove down, green flames shooting out of it's maw, flaring over the surface of the ship, making grunts scatter.

Trixx twirled down, grabbing a grunt, hauling one up and dropping him into the sea.

Some retaliated though, grabbing spears and firing them up at the swarming dragons, a few coming far too close for comfort.

On Duusu, Chloe clutched her tightly, grimacing as she glared down at the ship, watching Adrien swarm close, eyes set to the top of the ship. Likely Marinette was still down there.

They needed help.

They needed more.

The ship was huge and the raiders many and as much as she would like to see it destroyed, might be best to flee for now-

Chloe jerked up on Duusu, spotting another ship trailing by.

A _familiar_ ship.

"Daddy," Chloe uttered. Sliding closer, she pointed out to the ship, urging Duusu, "There!"

Gurgling, Duusu turned and dove for the ship.

Familiar faces jumped and flinched at the sight of the deadly nadder flying over them, and before they could release arrows or spears, Chloe called out, "DADDY!"

Those on the ship paused, all gaping at what had to be the chief's daughter riding a deadly nadder.

 _She was riding a dragon._

"Pumpkin!" Chief Andre called out in alarm, "What are you doing?! Get off of that!"

Duusu swerved and landed on the ship, Chloe shakily clutching the dragon to stay on. She pointed out, "We need help! We're trying to bring down Hawkmoth!"

"When did you," the chief started to push, only for Chloe to cut him off.

"Later! We need help now!" Turning to see Gabriel, she called out, "Adrien is over there!"

By the look of alarm that covered Gabriel's features, Chloe secured their help.

* * *

Marinette stumbled down the hall as the ship was rocked and rammed by the dragons, catching the walls as best she could, trying to ignore how Nooroo's claws sunk into her shoulders.

She chanted in her head _find the fuse, find the fuse, find the fuse..._

Where was it?

Had to be close.

Somewhere-

There was a hiss in the air and Marinette dropped down just in time to avoid the wild swing that was coming up behind her.

Nooroo screeched out in alarm, whipping around and hissing at Hawkmoth.

"How devious, Ladybug," Hawkmoth commented, "summoning your dragons to come and foil me."

Marinette made no comment, eyes locked on him, slowly working around him, aware of the growling Nooroo on her shoulders.

So was Hawkmoth, keeping his gaze locked on her, following her. He continued, "It's going to take a lot more dragons than that to stop me."

"You're only human," Marinette reminded.

"As are you."

Purple blue eyes narrowed at the statement.

There was another jerk, and a horn sounded out.

The horn of another approaching.

Hawkmoth paused, turning to look back towards the opening.

Marinette took the chance to dash away, running till she smelled the gunpowder. "Here Nooroo," she urged, tapping the ground, feeling the loose powder against her fingers. "Light it."

An ember popped out of Nooroo's mouth, and Marinette hurried back as that ember went down.

The gunpowder sparked, and the flare shot off, heading along the path Alya left.

Marinette turned to flee, only to ram into Hawkmoth who grabbed her. He looked over her head, watched the flare go off. His eyes widened and his grip tightened painful, making Marinette grit her teeth. "You dare-"

There was a big _boom_ near them, sending the two toppling over. Marinette looked over wildly, tensing when she saw the head of Akuma wiggle her head in, the whispering death likely drawn in by the chaos.

Marinette watched tensely as the whispering death's nostrils flared, the dragon growling deeply.

Akuma caught her scent.

Akuma knew she was here.

Before Marinette could move to flee, Hawkmot grabbed her, snarling, "You! You dare turn my whispering death against me!"

Snarling, Akuma wiggled into the hull, sea water rising in with her, gnashing her many teeth together.

With the whispering death coming towards her and his grip on her painful, Marinette lashed out against him, kicking wildly to get free.

Nooroo jumped forward and with hot fangs, bit Hawmoth's hand, freeing Marinette from his grip and making the raider scream. Nooroo in her arms, she scrambled up and fled, stumbling as the ship rocked back and forth. Nooroo jumped out of her arms, flying off and guiding her along, zipping out of the hull and into the air above.

Marinette followed, nearly running into another grunt.

Before the grunt could reach for her, black claws wrapped around Marinette's middle and the next thing she knows she was airborne.

Squealing in surprise, she gripped the claws that had her, looking around wildly, taking in the familiar black nightmare that was carrying her.

"Hey My Lady!"

Marinette looked up, slumping in relief to see Adrien grinning back at her, equally relieved to see her.

"What took you so long?" she called out.

"Plagg didn't want to go."

The nightmare grumbled loudly.

"We need to go!" Marinette shouted, "Ship's bout to blow!"

Plagg roared loudly, calling out to the other dragons, a warning to them. They all swerved and flew towards another ship, one Marinette just noticed.

Down below in the hull, Hawkmoth scrambled back, eyes locked on the snapping whispering death that pursued him, her maw opened wide, razor teeth spinning about, ready to swallow him and shred him to pieces.

He didn't have anything to defend himself against.

She was going to devour him.

Akuma rose up, body wiggling, spines rattling loudly. The dragon dove down towards him, just as a bright, hot flash flared out.

Across the way, Plagg just landed on the other ship, making it tilt and lurch from the nightmare's great weight. As soon as Marinette was set down, Hawkmoth's ship exploded, making all jerk in surprise, looking back wildly to the orange flames that ate at the ship.

It was done.

Hawkmoth was gone.

He was gone.

Up in flames, much like her old home.

Marinette jumped when a body dropped down beside her, looking up to see Adrien offering her a small, encouraging smile.

She returned it warily, slumping in relief.

Both turned when a throat was cleared, Adrien tensing to see his father staring down at the two of them, a brow raised.

"H-hi father," he warily greeted.

Besides Gabriel, Andre eyed Marinette oddly, waving to her and asking, "What, what is going on?"

Chloe introduced, "Father, this is Ladybug."

"Hi?" Marinette offered awkwardly.

Then grunted when was tackled, Alya shouting, "We did it! He's dead! Hawkmoth's dead!"

Marinette returned the embrace, laughing in relief at the truth and reality of it.

He was gone.

He was really gone.

He was dead.

* * *

When they returned back to the village, for the next few days, things were tense and strange. The dragons still lingered close and majority of the village still jumped and tensed around dragons that hung around. Some eyed Marinette warily with the shared knowledge that she was Ladybug, and with the unsure attention they received, Marinette, Alya, and Nino all hung close; by Chloe's push, they were allowed in the village to stay.

Adrien dropped by to visit as much as possible, help however he could.

Especially when a Viking tried to start a fight with dragons, a fight Duusu was especially ready to meet.

But, it wasn't as bad as it could be.

Dragons were allowed in the village.

There weren't as many fights as Marinette expected.

"It's probably as close as we're going to get on relations for now," Marinette bid as she walked along beside Adrien along a cliff, listening to the roar of the sea. She missed that sound.

The loud lull of the waves crashing against the cliffs.

Only time she heard that was when she and Tikki went flying out to sea.

"I think it's promising," Adrien bid. "A solid step in the right direction."

"Certainly is," Marinette agreed.

But will also take more time.

Time for dragons and humans to get used to each other.

Her dragons thus far were more likely too, used to her, Adrien, and Chloe.

But this village?

Marinette couldn't say.

Speaking of village... Nervously, she asked, "So, how, how's the ar-arrangement going? With Itaal?"

Adrien blinked and Marinette tensed, nervous to hear his answer.

"Father is going to decline it," Adrien said, watching Marinette relax behind him. "It's hard to have a marriage when one of the party isn't willing. And you know, as soon as Lila heard a whisper of a rejection, she sent me a letter about how weak I was, not worth her time." He rolled his eyes at that, grinning at the scoff Marinette made.

"She doesn't know anything," Marinette declared.

Adrien gave her a playful nudge, goading, "You do?"

She nudged him back, stating, "Of course. Couldn't quite get you out of my life. You're stubborn like that."

" _I'm_ the stubborn one?"

"Yes. So, so stubborn."

"Oh please. You're more stubborn than me."

"Am not."

"Are too."

"Not."

"Toooooo."

She huffed, lips pursed in a pout.

Adrien grinned, amused. Then shifted nervously beside her, rubbing the back of his neck. "There," he started out, "there is another reason why I refused. There's, there's someone else..."

Marinette spared him a fast glance, Adrien met her gaze, quickly looked away, cheeks a little pink.

Oh.

Marinette blushed, curling a strand of hair behind her ear, unable to stop the shy smile curling up on her lips. She murmured, "I would delighted..."

Adrien turned to her excitedly, asking, "Really? I, well, not right now, but-"

"When things are settled," Marinette offered.

He beamed. "When things are settled," he agreed.

He reached out, slinging an arm over her shoulder, pulling her close, head bent down. He was surprised when Marinette reached up, pressing a chaste kiss to his. She dropped down, fond smile on her lips, cheeks red.

He grinned back to her, eyes shining.

He moved for another, when a roar sounded out.

One that jerked the two up to attention, watching a ship sail by, heading for the port.

A ship with a green dragon guiding it.

"A buffalord," Marinette murmured in surprise. That was a rare dragon. What was one doing here? And with a ship?

"Let's check it out," Adrien urged, taking Marinette's hand and tugging her along, both racing down to the ports, blinking at the loud crowd that gathered around the ship, eager to see these visitors.

Who was here?

Why the crowd?

Why the excitement?

Adrien and Marinette worked their way through the crowd, receiving their answer when they reached the circled center, Adrien's jaw dropping at what he saw.

There with her leg tightly bound up in wrapping, embracing Gabriel Agreste the Cold, was Alecia Agreste the Elegant. Alive and well. Not swallowed up by the sea like it was believed.

She was alive.

She was hugging his father, laughing and crying and peppering the stiff man in kisses.

Without realizing it, Adrien drew near, his gaze still locked on her, disbelieving.

He stopped beside his parents, whispering, "M-Mama?"

She jerked away, her green eyes locking on Adrien.

"My Adrien," she breathed, reaching for him, lightly touching his jaw, running her hand up along his cheek. "My Adrien..."

"Mama," he echoed, face crumbling as he looked to her.

Grabbing him, Gabriel pulled him close. Pull her close. Pulled them both close into the tightest embrace he could give.

Smiling for Adrien, she worked her way around the crowd, towards the green buffalord, cooing soft as the amber eyed dragon turned to her. "Hi buddy," she murmured, holding out her hand for the dragon to sniff. "Were you guiding her home?"

"Marinette?"

Marinette gave a start, looking up to see a familiar old man stare down at her.

No way.

"MASTER FU!" Nino called out from the crowd, him and Alya burst forth.

Marinette beat them to the old man, earning a laugh from him as he was tackled three time in a row. "You're all alive!" he cried, "look at you! You're all alive!"

"So are you!" Alya cried back.

"How did you survive?!" Nino demanded.

"Why are you here?" Marinette wondered.

"Helping someone get back home," Fu told them, blinking watering eyes as he looked over the three, "a slight hope to find a home too. With Wayzz showing us the way. And you three are here, you made it. You..."

"Alya?"

Alya looked up and gasp, Nino stiffening beside her, eyes widening.

There, gaping at them were their families, equally alive and well.

Alya and Nino rushed past Fu, slamming into their families, murmurs and shouts bubbling out of them.

Marinette stared at them longingly, watching as more and more familiar faces peeked out, shyly looking to where they beached.

Fu smiled at Marinette warmly.

And there they were, slipping out among the crowd, looking exhausted.

Only to freeze when they saw the dark haired girl standing beside Fu, gaping at them.

They watched her face slowly break, her whole form shaking as she took them in. With a strangled sound, Marinette tore at them, her father rushing forward to meet her, her mother closely following.

Back in the village, a nightmare woke to a garble of noise. Growling in annoyance, he looked up to eye the port, where a crowd was mingling around a ship. On his back, a changewing and terror, looked up as well, taking in the cluster.

Tikki made a pleased sound.

Nooroo a happy chirp.

Plagg yawned and turned away, more than happy to go back to sleep.


End file.
